General
seagull
What does seagull mean?
Slang for a senior clinician (often a consultant or 'flying' specialist) who appears briefly, criticises loudly, changes everything, then departs leaving others to clear up.
"The seagull did a fly-by on the round and now the plan's chaos."
Origin
Management-world 'seagull' metaphor adopted in medicine.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'seagull' mean in a hospital?
It's slang for a senior clinician who swoops in briefly, criticises loudly, changes everything, then leaves others to clear up the mess.
Where does the 'seagull' metaphor come from?
It's borrowed from the management world's 'seagull manager' idea and adopted into medical slang.
Is it a compliment?
No — it's a mocking term for disruptive, hit-and-run behaviour by a senior.
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