A radiologist ringing this late made my stomach sink – I thought of sneaking out of the door
It was a classic Friday afternoon phone call. I was finishing off my last set of notes, at the end of what had already been…
Tag: Art of Medicine
An approach to functional disorders
Need to know: Everyone experiences functional symptoms — be it a twinge, tic, twitch or tickle. These occur frequently and are largely ignored. Occasionally, however,…
The incidentaloma menace: Why GPs and radiologists need to talk
“You have got a community that thinks modern medicine is amazing and can tell them everything with certainty — and the reality is it cannot.”…
Truth is, I’ve received more wisdom from my patients than I’ve ever given them
Patients may forget to disclose the most amazing things, like a past medical history of a Whipple’s procedure, or a previous cancer diagnosis, or diabetes,…
Toddler’s unexplained injuries lead to Australian-first skin fragility diagnosis
A suspected child abuse case in a two-year-old girl turned out to be an Australian-first presentation of a rare epidermolysis bullosa subtype. Doctors say their…
‘What’s wrong with you?’: The CPD activity that bombed
Years ago, the need to identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in general practice was recognised as an important step in helping to improve…
I messed around with my health and missed the obvious: I still don’t have a GP
The rash started two, maybe three, years ago. A few spots of colour on my cheeks, nothing to worry about. It had been a big…
Why can’t GPs be friends with their patients?
I believe that placing blanket restrictions on personal relationships between doctors and their patients is detrimental to our ability to deliver quality care. In the…
The wild reason an orthopaedic surgeon was calling about my patient’s breast biopsy
Timing can be everything in making the diagnosis of a rare condition. It was the weekend, so my patient presented to the local hospital ED.…
Anger and resentment can fester in practices when we avoid difficult conversations
In my early 20s, I struggled with my weight. Looking back now, I can see how much of this was due to anxiety. I would…
