Bummer...you know some real quacks that is for sure. My Dad was a M.D., Uncles a dentist, and my wifes nephew is a surgeon and these guys are very decisive and thorough.
I know what you are talking about, there are certainly doc's that think more about the country club but my experience has been they are in the minority. My exposure may be limited so as not to give a real broad example though.
"Sort of" is such a harmless thing to say. "Sort of". It's just a filler. "Sort of" - It doesn't really mean anything. But after certain things, "sort of" means everything. Like after "I love you" or "You're going to live" or "It's a boy".