Tips for clinician educators and aspiring clinicians

Charles Bukowski once said, “Wherever the crowd goes, run in the other direction. They’re always wrong.” How does one become a master?  What process do we use to have the highest probability of success? Here are some examples. Picasso was an extraordinary craftsman, even when measured against the old masters. That he chose to struggle to overcome his visual heritage in order to find a language more responsive to the modern world is an important triumph that has had a vast effect upon our world. (from Picasso’s Early Work) Great musicians practice their scales and learn their chords.  They play different time signatures.  Only then can they tackle jazz or classical mastery.  And yet they continue to practice the fundamentals regularly. Success doesn’t necessarily come from breakthrough innovation but from flawless execution. A great strategy alone won’t win a game or a battle; the win comes from basic blocking and tackling. – Naveen Jain So what is my point?  Why have I started this rant with a series of quotes and statements about fundamentals? Too many students, residents and attending physicians fail to work on mastering the fundamentals.  What are the fundamentals?  At the risk of being pedantic, this is my personal view. Learning to take a careful and complete history of present illness.  While this seems straightforward, the art involved takes much practice and much knowledge.  Without knowing at least basic differentia...
Source: DB's Medical Rants - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Attending Rounds Source Type: blogs