设置和读取has_many：通过连接表数据

Question

我们以association documentation：

为例

class Physician < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :appointments
  has_many :patients, through: :appointments
end

class Appointment < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :physician
  belongs_to :patient
end

class Patient < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :appointments
  has_many :physicians, through: :appointments
end

我的问题是，假设Appointment模型有一个appointment_date字段，在与新医生和患者合作时，如何才能最优雅地设置它？

目前我的创作解决方案是，取而代之的：

physician = Physician.new(...)
patient = Patient.new(...)
physician.patients < patient
physician.save

我用：

physician = Physician.new(...)
patient = Patient.new(...)
appointment = Appointment.new
appointment.physician = physician
appointment.patient = patient
appointment.appointment_date = Time.now
appointment.save

为了查询，我找到了following solution。

是否有更短/更简洁/“Rails”的方式？