The Demise of the Physical Exam

[Bobblehead]

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There are couple of interesting (and more importantly short) editorials in this week's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (Feb 9, 2006 Vol. 354 No. 6) titled "The Demise of the Physical Exam" and "The Stethoscope and the Art of Listening" on pages 548 and 551 respectively.

The first is the author's story about what happened to one patient after a blood pressure differential between arms was chalked up to operator error, the second is a brief history of the stethoscope and the author's opinion of its relevance and future applicability to medicine.

 

[PickyBicky]

There are couple of interesting (and more importantly short) editorials in this week's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (Feb 9, 2006 Vol. 354 No. 6) titled "The Demise of the Physical Exam" and "The Stethoscope and the Art of Listening" on pages 548 and 551 respectively.

The first is the author's story about what happened to one patient after a blood pressure differential between arms was chalked up to operator error, the second is a brief history of the stethoscope and the author's opinion of its relevance and future applicability to medicine.

What the first story is really about is not the loss of PE skills, but the fact that the author (as an MS3) didn't have enough balls to state what his findings were (he knew he couldn't get a reading in the left arm)... it's more a testament to how pathetic he is more than anything else. Nobody said he had to be correct.

Whatever....this is such a chicken-little argument. The sky is perpetually falling.... MDs have been bemoaning the loss of the physical exam for decades. It's all been down hill since Osler passed.


-PB

 

[Fantasy Sports]

What the first story is really about is not the loss of PE skills, but the fact that the author (as an MS3) didn't have enough balls to state what his findings were (he knew he couldn't get a reading in the left arm)... it's more a testament to how pathetic he is more than anything else. Nobody said he had to be correct.

Whatever....this is such a chicken-little argument. The sky is perpetually falling.... MDs have been bemoaning the loss of the physical exam for decades. It's all been down hill since Osler passed.


-PB

Agreed, an MS3 is in the enviable position of being able to be wrong without much detriment to the patient (since so many levels of supervision), but also spending the most time with the patient and thus being able to catch things others have missed. Thus, he not only should have had the balls to report his finding, it would be illogical not to, considering he had everything to gain for the patient (and himself) and nothing to lose.

The physical exam will be around for a long time, because if its not, we will have to start to worry about our jobs being outsourced like the rads folks.

 

[Dr Alo]

The physical exam will always be around. There is no way it can be eliminated.

 

[tiene dolor?]

What the first story is really about is not the loss of PE skills, but the fact that the author (as an MS3) didn't have enough balls to state what his findings were (he knew he couldn't get a reading in the left arm)... it's more a testament to how pathetic he is more than anything else. Nobody said he had to be correct.

Whatever....this is such a chicken-little argument. The sky is perpetually falling.... MDs have been bemoaning the loss of the physical exam for decades. It's all been down hill since Osler passed.


-PB

Man, **** Osler. Am i the only one that thinks at least half of his quotes sound like pretentious bull****. yeah, screw that guy.

 

[PickyBicky]

Man, **** Osler. Am i the only one that thinks at least half of his quotes sound like pretentious bull****. yeah, screw that guy.

It's true... I do scratch my head at some (but not all) of the quotes attributed to Osler. Ha! but I dare you to scream those words in front of the dome at JHU.

-PB

 

[Arsenic]

Man, **** Osler. Am i the only one that thinks at least half of his quotes sound like pretentious bull****. yeah, screw that guy.