Doctors and functional disorders — how I escaped heartsink
There is a term in medicine that has always made me feel uncomfortable. It gets used less now, but you still hear it: heartsink —…
Tag: Art of Medicine
The doctor–patient tango: How I avoid a misstep before the consult turns frosty
Dr John Launer recently shared his favourite question to throw in mid-consultation: “How is this conversation going for you so far?” It helps him figure…
Stressed surgeons linked to fewer complications for patients: study
Surgeons, like elite athletes, may produce better outcomes if they are displaying higher physiological stress in the early stages of surgery, a study shows. US…
It took me years to get off my high horse and properly communicate with patients
When I was a medical student in the 1960s, our lecturers and tutors, all white and male, were a stone-faced mob, devoid of humour and…
GP fined $5000 after smacking child’s bottom and calling them ‘little brat’ in consultation notes
A GP has admitted grabbing a two-year-old and smacking his bottom after the child kept turning on and off the lights during his older brother’s…
I’m seeing a lot of middle-aged, fatigued mothers: This is what I’ve learnt
The ability to observe human patterns as we travel through life is a unique privilege of healthcare professionals. As a GP, one such pattern is…
‘Young GPs are amazingly smart’: Dr Bruce Willett on mentoring the next generation, dealing with pollies and his sharp shoes
Many GPs will know Dr Bruce Willett for his sartorial style, particularly the shoes. The RACGP’s former vice-president suggests the shoes are the only interesting thing…
Better than the textbooks: What I learnt from Eric, my patient with schizophrenia
All my life I have been puzzled by schizophrenia. My first patient with the condition was Eric. I was a medical student and he was…
The world is turning bad while our small, ordinary lives are filled with acts of human kindness
Nathan made a birthday card for his mama. He scribbled balloons, a cloud and an apple tree. His papa drew a heart-shaped balloon and said:…
She returned home to sleep a few floors above her abuser — I hoped she wouldn’t become a dreaded statistic
Thinking back to my time as a final-year medical student in the emergency department, there was always a nagging sense of being in the way…
