Police have it. The military and special forces have it, as do stockbrokers and money traders. They invent and share a secret language of coded words to describe clients, bosses, colleagues and situations they find frustrating, distasteful or emotionally-charged. Why should health professionals be any different? In this lecture, Dr. Brian Goldman will explain what the slang (or argot) used at many hospitals reveals about medical errors, the empathy gap in health care and attitudes towards marginalized patients – and how to begin to create a healthier mindset inside hospitals’ sliding doors.