The two minute tutorials this week were about aortic stenosis. Epidemiology (CT), clinical features (BK), investigation (HG), and treatment (CC). There are plenty of brief summaries on the net but this is a subject worthy of more detailed understanding and knowledge for GIM trainees. Certainly the investigation, assessment and indications for surgery should roll off your tongue with ease. The prize for this week’s talk goes to Dr Tuck, for a concise summary with sources quoted. It is about time someone stepped up to the mark and knocked her off the top spot.
The discussion paper this week was The Company We Keep: Why Physicians Should Refuse to See Pharmaceutical Representatives. Howard Brody, Annals of Family Medicine 2005;3:82-85. I particularly like the ‘fanciful analogy’ in the paper’s introduction: read it for yourself. I will leave you to muse over one of the conclusions. Reps are not evil, but they are time-consuming and serve interests that often are at odds with those of our patients. To spend time with reps in a manner that preserves professional integrity would require both refusing to accept their gifts and spending a great deal of valuable time double-checking their information. I propose that the vast majority of physicians could spend their time in better ways. Do you feel this is true? Will you be putting your time to better use?
Next week’s reading continues the ethics theme and though the paper relates to research, you should decide if the ideas give any insights into medical practice. Can Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein be read as an early research ethics text? H Davies, Medical Humanities Jun 01, 2004 30: 32-35.
Next week’s theme is basic microbiology. Two minutes please on the following:
Staphylococcus aureus (CC)
Streptococcus pneumoniae (BK)
Escherichia coli (HG)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CT)
Interesting topics this week
Ecthyma Gangrenosum
Coma, look at the coma section of www.eboncall.org
Agranulocytosis
And review your knowledge of the normal ECG
MJM
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