Have you ever been called a cowboy? I certainly have. I even own a nice pair of boots. What is a cowboy? “A person who […]
A Little Skepticism, Please
(Listen here instead) Good clinical thinking is good critical thinking. Critical thinking in medicine requires a variety of tools in our cognitive armamentarium. We must […]
How Do I Make a Differential Diagnosis? Or, Pelvic Pain
The differential diagnosis, used appropriately, can serve as one of the most powerful de-biasing tools. When we interview a patient, review records, perform physical exam, […]
It’s Either Normal … Or It Isn’t? Watch Out For The Drift
It’s Either Normal … Or It Isn’t? Is this true? Well, yes. This black and white statement sounds false to anyone with even a little bit […]
Clinical Reasoning: The Scope of the Problem
What are some of the problems with the way doctors think? The answers to this question are complex. The problems are many and the scope […]
Words Matter, or When Should I Order Labs for Preeclampsia?
The words we use and the way we use words makes a difference. How we use words affects the way we think about the ideas […]
How and Where You Ask The Question Matters: Confirmation Bias
Do you believe what you see or do you see what you believe? Confirmation Bias affects the way we search for, interpret, and recall information. It is […]
You Can’t Trust What You Read About Nutrition
Fivethirtyeight.com has posted an excellent article about nutritional studies, entitled You Can’t Trust What You Read About Nutrition. This is well worth reading and is […]
The Ethics of Deviating From Guidelines
Unfortunately, it is all too common for physicians to proudly and defiantly deviate from national guidelines or accepted practices related to patient care. This may […]
Teaching Adult Learners: Lessons From Yoda
If you know anything about Jedi training, you know that it should start with a youngling and it ends whenever the Jedi has achieved competency in […]