Calpol

"I'm not going to take Paracetamol" stated one alpha male to the Fuddled Medic as the last outbreak of swine flu takes place. "I dont believe in take tablets for simple things like colds, etc."

Ok, your an adult, its your decision. If you want to spend 3-7 days with a cold/flu with a raging headache and fever thats fine, I'd rather spend 3-7 days when I havea cold/flu with a reduced hedache/fever and general feeling of shittiness.

Unfortunately children who suffere colds/fevers etc are not adults and have to rely on mum and dad to dish out calpol. Colleages have shocked me with tales of parents bringing in kids to Children A & E who refuse to administer Calpol.

Why? Its safe and effective and despite evidence to the contrary it probably doesn't raise the asthma/eczema risk. Buying ice scream is linked to increase risk of drowning, doesn't mean one causes the other.

I am starting paediatrics after christmas, there will probably be an increase in posts where I feel sorry for poorly kids whose parents seem to think immunisations are tantamount to murder, or that steroid inhalers are a bad things

Dr Zorro

Thank you very much for your last comment, have spent half an hour in between peeling sprouts reading Newsthump. Much Appreciated

Here's one for you all to enjoy

Tesco

I am writing about something outside of medicine(shock horror!), earlier today I saw a report where everyone was whinging about the expansion of the big supermarkets.

Why?

My parents complain about the rise of the supermarkets but they never go to the local Butcher (except at christmas) and use Tescos regularly.

One of my favourite episodes of Southpark is where the kids go in search of the "heart" of Wal Mart. This turns out to be simply a mirror, reflecting the fact that without us the supermarkets would not be able to expand in the first place

Worried

"I'm really worried about Bob,aged 10. He wont get up till ten thirty in a morning."

"What time does he go to bed?" asked a cynical Fuddled Medic

"About half twelve, perhaps thats why he gets up late?"

Treadmill

"I want to get you enthusiastic again," stated the next consultant to try and aid the Fuddled Medic's education. "Some of you may feel like you've been running on a treadmill getting bored and run down."

Whats this? Its ok to have these feeling? Even better was still to come - "You may even have become disillusioned with medicine, I want to change that."

Oh my god, someone who has made an attempt to understand that medical students are human beings to and can get disheartened?

In other news, the above has happened to me, I need a holiday. I hope that I feel refreshed and eager to go again in the new year

Registered

Professionalism is a big word branded around to medical students and the need to act in a professional way. To ensure we do so perhaps we should be registered with the GMC during our time in medical school?

And if so, from what stage? Day 1? Some people have suggested from clinical years but in a significant number of medical schools this would not be practical.

Personally the FM is against the idea. Medical students are taught (and hopefully looked after) by the medical school. Therefore the FM believes medical schools should have the responsbility of deciding if someone has acted unprofessionally and if so what action should be taken.

My Friend

I got into Medical school, I got the required grades. I went to a school where I was pushed to exceed my own expectations. My friend did not, at her school the vast majority of students did not want to learn. It meant his own grades suffered and she did not get into medical school.

To a certain extent its dumb luck that I'm here writing this blog, whereas my friend has tried (and unfortunately failed) to to get into graduate entry medicine. She has decided not to reapply and do something else for a bit.

ASD/PID

Atrial Septal defect or Austistic spectrum disorder?
Pelvic inflammatory disease or Prolapsed intervertebral disc?

Best not to get them confused

In the Neck

I get slightly annoyed at GP bashing, although I suppose I am slightly hypercritical as I regularly take the mickey out of other specialities. Although its always obvious that I still respect the job they do.

But for some reason it goes to far with GPs, one colleague told me she didn't want to be a GP as she wanted to do a job that needed a medical degree.

However, indirectly everything we do at medical school is geared to preparing us for being a GP (50% of us will be GPs afterwards), in psychiatry we are taught to quickly perform a risk assessment on someone with depression, in ENT when to refer someone with hearing loss and when not to.

Is it down to jealousy? Probably.

In my experience GPs are some of the best teachers out there, I learnt how to take a history from a GP and I still remember that lecture.

They do a good job well, why are'nt they appreciated?