I learn so much by reading medical blogs. I think I'm evolving into a better doctor because of what I read. One of the reasons many of us entered medicine is for the opportunity for lifetime learning. Here's how I've been improving myself this week:
1. Learning about teaching, learning about learning.
- Dr. Robert Centor has been thinking how to improve bedside teaching. I agree with the need for good clinical instructors who teach by example. I hope you all chime in on Dr. Centor's call for suggestions.
- Over at Life, Not Terrible Ordinary Beth reports recent lessons learned on the job in pediatrics residency.
- In order for learning to occur, someone must make time to teach. The incomparable Ramona at Suture for a Living crafted a wonderful review of maggot therapy for wound healing. Talk about impact! This post later inspired a lively Twitter discussion
- Twitterbuddy Symtym has been blogging a bunch lately, and we're all the better for it. Here's his commentary on the criticism of the Rivers study on early goal-directed therapy for sepsis.
2. Getting a glimpse into the working lives of other doctors, one blog at a time.
- Shadowfax shares a letter written in response to a patient who believed he should not have been billed for an ER evaluation because he thought he was going to be directly admitted to the hospital.
- At ER Stories, I learned some patients will come in just because of a raw chicken scare.
- Notes from a Country Doctor shared the fear and sleeplessness resulting from another doc's bad outcome.
- 10 Centimeters and Beyond reported a great example of the kind of phone call that makes OB call so trying at times.
- Fat Doctor describes how she goes about choosing consultants for hospitalized patients. I have to admit a pang of envy; we have few specialists up in Rural, I usually only have the pick of a) who's in town and b) who's in house at the moment.
- New blogger The Hospitalist Refugee writes about a patient's anger at losing him as her primary doctor. I faced similar responses when I gave up primary care. The sad thing is, the attitudes I got when I was providing the care were often equally entitled and confrontational.
- Edwin Leap asks us all to consider whether CT scans are replacing physical exam as a definitive diagnostic tool. I say no. I say never. There is no substitute for examining at a patient.
Go improve yourselves. Read a blog.
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