Medicine is an art, not a science. We’ve all heard that maxim before, but what does it actually mean for living, breathing patients? Physicians rely upon knowledge and experience when we advise patients. We try to stay current on relevant medical studies to guide us, knowing that the latest medical ‘breakthrough’ may be debunked in a few years. Seasoned physicians resist the temptation to abruptly change their medical advice based on a single study, even if published in a prestigious journal. Knowledge and experience are important, but judgment trumps them both, in my view. The best clinicians are those who consistently exercise excellent medical judgment. A knowledgeable physician may be able to recite a dozen explanations for your high calcium level. An experienced doctor can expertly perform a colonoscopy having mastered the technique. A physician with a high level of medical judgment knows that surgery is wrong for a particular patient, even though medical t
MD Whistleblower presents vignettes and commentaries on the medical profession. We peek 'behind the medical curtain' and deliver candor and controversy in every post.