How do doctors diagnosis and treat rare conditions?

[tdod]

When I've shadowed, doctors would treat the same conditions over and over again.

However, when reading about microbiology, path, and pharm it occurs to me that there are soooo many different pathogens, etiologies, and treatments. It seems impossible for one person to remember even a fraction of the information. So when a doctor sees a patient infected with an uncommon pathogen, how does the doctor reach a diagnosis and treatment plan?


– Thanks.

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[779163]

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

No one is going to know everything. That's why there are so many specialties and subspecalties.
You'll have a lot drilled into you through 4 years of medical school and then even more in 3-7 years of residency. Plus you will learn how to look up information you need.

 

[FeinMS]

UpToDate

 

[KoalaT]

I've also noticed the physician I've worked with over the past 2 years tend to diagnose the same things over and over (primarily because it's the most common). Chondromalacia, bursitis, arthritis, frozen shoulders, etc. However, I've been extremely surprised when they suddenly pull something crazy out. Or we have to prescribe steroids for a pediatric, and they know this random drug they haven't used in years, etc.

I think those physician you shadowed may very well know about a lot more conditions than you think. But yes, this is why there are so many specialties. If you shadowed a PCP, you wouldn't have seen it because these rare conditions (depending on how they present) will go unnoticed until conventional/typical treatment doesn't work. Then you usually start to think "what else could it be?"

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Patients with rare conditions are usually referred to tertiary and/or quaternary care centers that specialize in treating such illnesses.

 

[Goro]

You call in consults.

 

[ojy77511]

Dilaudid. Solves all problems.


Jk.


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