Being a physician is a lifetime of learning. It is estimated that there are between 25,000 and 50,000 professional journals which publish biomedical information weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually. The National Library of Medicine site, called Pub Med, contains “30,000 records”found in thousands of journals. I routinely use this site as a reference because it is so vast. This huge source of biomedical information clearly demonstrates the broad expanse of information physicians, especially family doctors, must reference and absorb to be up-to-date, and practice good medicine.
Of course, no physician is capable of reading and retaining every bit of information, so we find general references like American Family Physician that present a wide variety of subject material each month. It includes timely info on new drugs, procedures, or techniques so diligent reading of Am Fam Phys can keep a doctor current. I used to receive numerous “throwaway journals” published by pharmaceutical companies or other health care organizations that contained review articles, or general information on a host of subjects. These magazines were free, filled with ads, and not so that you archived them, but instead threw them away after reading. Many of them were very informative, however.
The medical profession is rife with “one-uppers.” These are the guys who always want to be the first to know the latest info about a subject so when they see you, or talk to you, they “one up” you by knowing something you don’t know. It’s embarrassing to be one-upped, but you find yourself drifting away from these narcissists as fast as possible. We all know our limits, so if there’s something you don’t know, or are unsure of, textbooks and the Internet are great reference sources. In the office, if I was asked a question I couldn’t answer, Google was my out. I still do that.
Every time I write an article for DrGOpines.com I learn something new. Even if the subject is very common like high blood pressure, or the flu, there’s always an aspect of the topic that has new information to read about. Or it may be a good review of material I learned years ago that I’ve forgotten, and a review gets me back up to speed.
Many doctors use their free time to study and keep current. Our medical specialty organizations encourage that by requiring hours of continuing medical education (CME) to maintain board certified status. It’s a better-educated doctor who is, and remains, board certified. He/she has made an effort to broaden their knowledge and stay up-to-date.
My CME is this blog. As I said, I learn something every time I write an article. It’s important for maintaining credibility and preparedness. So, Dr. Smith may hit the links 3 times a week, but I bet you he takes ample time to read and review medical info. He is committed to lifelong learning as one important, vital aspect of his life and profession.
