automatic proffession

[neurotrancer]

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Hi,

I was reading the book, "Complications" by Atul Gawande, M.D., and in it he mentioned about a surgical practice that specializes in doing only hernia repairs, and whose performance excellence greatly surpasses industry standards of care. A fellow M2 was telling me about a dermatologist he knows whose practice consisted solely of performing skin biopsies for 35 hours a week. I was wondering, are there many opportunities in medicine for such superspecialized practice? I am very sympathetic to the view that medicine is best performed when it is practiced in a very automated way and hence was very interested by these stories. Gawande actually mentioned that some of the surgeons in the hernia repair factory didn't even go through general surgery residency, but just learned how to perform hernia repairs! How might one get involved in such practices? Are there many such opportunities?

Thanks!

 

[Tristero]

I believe the Gawande example was in canada, in the US the push towards specialization/trainign is pretty strong. I know practices like what you mention exist but are not common in the field of plastic surgery. For example Raj Konadia (LA) and Bobby Simmons (Miami) only do rhinoplasties. They are able to do so because they are world renowned for that procedure. Same with that hernia place. So in short, it seems to me it takes time and skill to build a practice like the one you mention. Without all the qualifications/training, it seems to me like it would be much more difficult to perform such a feat.

 

[FliteSurgn]

The book was talking about the Shouldice Hernia Centre in Ontario, Canada. They only do hernias and they have done about 300,000 of them over the last 60 years.

 

[Paulista]

I don't know of any surgeon without proper residency training performing surgical procedures such as hernia repair.

I would be against such a scheme anyhow!

Now, regarding your opinion of automated practice, I don't think you should be in medicine if you think medicine can be automatic!

Even a busy surgical practice, the surgeon face variety. It is good for your brain anyhow to face new situations, new clinical scenarios.

Your preference of automatic practice sounds like someone trying to practice medicine as if you would always earn same percentage annually on your 401K. Very unlikely indeed!

 

[Ratch]

god vukken you just can't resist this place can you!