Here’s an article worth reading: Personal Best by Atul Gawande, MD in the October 3 New Yorker. The piece reviews the advantages of using a coach to break down performances and improve outcomes. Gawande starts by pointing out the obvious utility of coaches for certain professionals, like athletes, and then asks why we don’t use them more widely in other fields – like teaching and even medicine.
Blog Archives
Learning to Doctor
Here‘s a recent NYT article about medical students at my alma mater. Frankly – as one of my friends and former classmates emailed me – it makes HMS students sound a bit socially inept. But this piece is written from a patient’s perspective, and she should know best what does and does not make her feel comfortable. It’s a good lesson on doctoring well.
Tags: Alma Mater, Hms, Medical Students, Nyt Article
Alternatives to Overscheduling the Doctor
There’s an interesting NYT article on the lack of time doctors have to see their patients and alternative systems to alleviate the problem. These systems may be the wave of the future for physicians.
Tags: June 2009
Who is fit to become a doctor?
There’s a weird situation that’s created a storm in Sweden: A convicted murderer was accepted to medical school. The NYT’s article about the episode is worth a read, bringing up issues about what kind of person is fit to be a physician and how bad doctors can harm the reputation of the entire profession.
Tags: April 2009
How to be a good doctor
Anyone who reads my blog knows I am a big New York Times fan. There was another good article recently (even my mom pointed it out to me) regarding hubris in physicians. Just like in a good Greek tragedy, being arrogant can hurt you and your patients. Take a look at the article and remember my advice: If a nurse ever asks you to come see a patient do it. You’d be surprised how many times they can save the patient… and you.
Tags: December 2008
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
