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Why Physical Examination Is More Important Than Ever. 

In medicine skills are almost like a status symbol. Whether your colleagues will speak highly of you greatly depends on whether you are able to perform angiograms, ultrasound or other procedures.

Photo courtesy of IStockphoto.com

But there is one skill that you don’t get much credit for, even though it is indispensable:

Physical Examination.

Ask ten fourth-year-students, what they rather want: a lesson of lung auscultation or to visit the cath lab? More than likely nine of them will choose the cath lab.

Let’s say you have a patient with dyspnea, who is admitted to the ICU. Many times before a thorough physical exam unexperienced doctors will suggest

  • a CT scan to exclude pulmonary embolism or even
  • intubation.
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5 Reasons I Expect Medical Conferences Will Become Obsolete In Ten Years – If They Don’t Change

I just got back from a medical conference -THE- nephrology conference in the world: the ASN renal week. When I left San Diego, I left with mixed feelings.

On the one hand I was glad I went, because I got to present our data. On the other hand I was really disappointed of many sessions, many of them were a complete waste of time.

In my opinion medical conferences could soon be obsolete. And here is why.

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6 Keys To Getting The Most Out Of Your Next Medical Conference

Every other year, depending on my scientific efforts, I get to go to a conference abroad. Going to a conference is kinda like going to Disneyland: Countless things to do, but only very little time.

The opportunities there are overwhelming. There are

  • numerous great presentations
  • interesting topics
  • amazing researchers
  • great speakers you can get to know.Time is very sparse and it’s easy to lose focus. Many times I felt depressed because I felt I missed out on  so many great things. To avoid this feeling, here are my 6 steps to getting the most out of your next conference.
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Three Questions I Ask Every Intern

(Before I Let Them Touch A Patient...)

On the ICU we get many interns and it is our responsibility to make sure they learn as much as possible. Before I let them see patients on their own or do any procedures I want to get to know them and get an impression on where they are in their career.

That’s why I ask a series of at least three questions: 

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Do we really need more doctors?

Ask ten people in the hospital how to improve patient care and nine people will more than likely tell you: more staff, more nurses and definitely: more doctors.

I’m not sure whether this is true.
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4 Thoughts On Why I Document My Patient’s Favorite Soccer Club

The nurses made fun of me the other day because I wrote down my patient’s favorite soccer club in the chart. “Patient is a fan of Fenerbahce Istanbul, while his best friend cheers for Galatasaray“ I filled in social history part of the digital chart.

I didn’t have a deeper intention when I did, but I noted I had conversations with four different nurses on the patient’s background, his interests and his life.

1. He cared, so I cared.

The first question the patient asked me,  (after admission to the ICU!) was whether I could look up the latest soccer results of the turkish soccer league.  It seemed to matter to him and played a more important role than the job he had for many years.

2. A deeper connection.

It aroused the attention of the nurses in the patient (and mine to).  If that’s what it takes to get myself and the nurses interested in a patient and thus make a personal and maybe even an emotional  connection with the patient possible: I’m in.

3. A goal to work towards.

Let’s say the nurses and doctors know more about the patient. Let’s say the patient has a cat, he walks once a day, or he has a rose garden he needs to take care of: Now the doctors and  nurses have a more concrete goal to work towards. The goal changed from „Let’s make him healthy again“. Instead it is: “Let’s do everything, so he can take care of his rose garden.”

4. The patient will like you more.

Sympathy is the foundation of trust. Patients, who like their doctors will trust them more and adhere to treatment plans more.

And by the way, he will find you way more interesting, too.

From now on I’m going to ask for the patient’s hobbies, their favorite TV show and the name of their hamster and document it. Let the show begin and stay tuned for some fun stuff.

Nurses and doctors, who connect on some other level with their patients for the least have more fun at work. Probably they make a better performance, too. (No statistic available, sorry)

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The One App, That’s Gonna Make Your Life In The Hospital That Much Easier.

There is one app that I use every day at work. In this video I share how. By the way: it’s free.

 

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Three Steps to Escape That Entitlement Mentality.

It feels like doctors are more unsatisfied with their work than ever. Complaints about “the circumstances“, “the administration“ and „the expectations” have reached an all-time high. Here is how to change the perspective and three steps to get started on your way to the top.

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4 Reasons Why You Should Cut Out The Sarcasm, Right Now!

Some people think that the only way to survive on an ICU as a doctor is lots and lots of sarcasm. I used to be sarcastic, because I thought it was funny. Turns out: it’s not. Here is a self talk I give myself, whenever I have an acute sarcasm-relapse:

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Oral Exams In Medicine: With These Three Secrets You Will Succeed!

Last week I took my final oral exam to be a certified internist and nephrologist.*

I had three weeks of preparation time, during which I had to work.

Two hours of learning per day for three weeks for the complete internal medicine and nephrology sounded frightening to me.  But with a strategy and a little bit of luck: I passed.  Here are my three most important tips on oral exams in medicine.