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Yes, there is a lack of disclosure, but I don't think docs can be completely faulted for this. In the case of an orthopedic surgeon doing shoulders only, for example, the doc has 4 yrs of med school, followed by a 5 yr residency program, and usually a 1 yr fellowship in shoulder surgery. Taking that and putting it into a brief explanation, in lay terms, is difficult. Also, it's often a money thing...the more time spent per patient, the less total revenue the doc generates. Then there's an attitude issue, maybe arrogance or just the reality of the situation, that "this is real complicated, you have to be very bright and study for years to get it, I've done that and you haven't, so don't ask questions, the answers to which you won't understand, and just let me do my thing".
The answer, for patients, is to become informed about your medical condition. The internet makes this possible, for anyone wiling to spend the time. It's actually the better solution to relying on the doc, since you know your body and habits way better than anyone else, and you'll never be able to give a doc a complete and accurate history of that. Other patients sharing your condition make a great resource.
As for RTC repair in particular, my doc did a great job, but he didn't explain much. I would have had no idea what was wrong, or the procedure for fixing it, were it not for many hours of research. Even then, reading through the operative note involved lots of time looking up medical terms (I now know what a lateral release is, for example).
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