Steve sent me a link today on the Forbes.com: Best Medical Blogs article.
The Author called me yesterday and we talked for a few minutes. He quotes me as saying that .. "one of the problems that I perceive to be a persistent one about how medicine has been practiced in this country is this theme of paternalism."
Yep .. I said that … more or less … but I was referring to the old ways of practicing medicine… not what I think/hope usually occurs now. The old "Physician Knows Best" kind of medicine. The sort of medicine that exalted physicians .. and no one challenged them or their confidence.
Things are different now. We do our best to share decision-making with patients — to be transparent and expose what we know and what we don't know. I think that weblogs are a way to enhance this transparency.
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I've noticed this before … but I think it's noticeable from the notes in Forbes … 3 of the 5 medical weblog authors featured are 40 years old. And I know that Steve turned 40 just a month or so before I did … I wonder what's up with all of these 1963 babies and weblogs …
I was talking with Dave a bit this morning and he reflected that his girlfriend thinks of physicians as uncaring ferrari-driving rich jerks. Man .. I wonder how commonplace this sentiment is. So far from reality.
The day in the office was hectic again .. and … like the previous few days … many problems revolved about psychiatric issues. Very challenging stuff. While I do my best to use all of my "15 minute hour" skills … I often envy the psychiatrists who really do have an hour to spend with their patients.
One bright spot … I got an e-mail today from a patient I saw on Monday. It's a very long story, but the bottom line is that she's being appropriately withdrawn from steroids, after having been on them for many years – following a misdiagnosis of Addison's disease. Of course, she's on a sloooow taper, but she feels terrible. Her baseline depression is much worse, and she's got so little energy that she can barely function. Taking a suggestion form a colleague, I tried modafinil, and she reports that she's feeling much better in general.
I need a Ferrari. I’m not a rich jerk, though I wouldn’t mind the rich part.
 
I drive a Volkswagen, I am indeed 40, and my net worth is still negative.
 
What’s with 1963 and medbloggers? Odd phenomenon. I missed that, but don’t know what it means. Maybe nothing, maybe everything?
 
And, congrats! Your inclusion is truly deserved. Mine is inexplicable, and I mean that.
Jacob… u are number 1… u lead the voting by a large margin… Hopefully this will be the redsox’s year as well.
I guess I realized you were 40 also, but now we are uncovering a very strange phenomenon with this whole 1963 and medical weblogs connection.
Personally, I think it’s a combination of being 6 years old when Armstrong stepped on the Moon (that being a very impressionable age to be told technology can conquer any task), and, most likely, growing up watching wise cracking docs on M*A*S*H. Oh, and maybe it has something to do with Nixon, too. 😉
Steve
I read several years ago that doctors used to have better cars than the multitudes, though not wildly better — top of the line Buicks, for example. For a while, the profession did have the image of Ferrari drivers, but I don’t see that much anymore.
As for medical blogs, the best seem to be written by doctors who’ve been practicing for a while, and who have acquired perspective along with experience. Younger doctors seem to be unsure a lot — about themselves and their careers. One exception: SOAP Notes: Natalie’s Diary. That one is excellent — well written, forceful, and intelligent. It’s a delight.