General
turkey
What does turkey mean?
An undesirable patient — the admission you didn't want, the one nobody on the team will claim. Vaguer than 'crock' (which implies fake complaints) or 'gomer' (which implies elderly/confused) — a turkey is just unrewarding work.
"Nights handed us three turkeys at five am — no plan on any of them."
Origin
Part of the classic intern trio with 'crock' and 'gomer', catalogued in the 1983 Cambridge study of hospital slang. The American 'turkey' (= a loser, a dud) carried over from general slang into the ward.
Frequently asked questions
What does turkey mean in medical slang?
A turkey is a difficult, unrewarding patient.
How do you use turkey in a sentence?
For example: "Bed six is a real turkey — nothing's ever good enough."
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