Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine [Paperback]

Richard Colgan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1441910336 | ISBN-13: 978-1441910332 | Publication Date: October 30, 2009 | Edition: 1st Edition.

Advice to the Young Physician introduces the origins of important teachings that form the basis of medicine as it has been taught by some of history's greatest educators in medicine.  Advice to the Young Physician reveals how to make the transition from technician to healer. This book reinforces the humanistic side of patient care, which is often overshadowed by the focus on highly technological elements.  Medical students, residents, fellows, physicians, and allied health practitioners often forget the intricacies of the genomic makeup of adenoviruses, yet they remember the tips, anecdotes and aphorisms related by mentors, educators, and experienced physicians.  The art of medicine comes from insights gained from unique and dynamic experiences between the physician, an enthusiastic medical student and the human patient, and is rarely found in books or taught in a universal and systematic way. Advice to the Young Physician provides numerous examples of best practices in order to internalize and practice the art of medicine, including tenets taught by Hippocrates, Maimonides, Osler, Peabody, Schweitzer and others. Advice to the Young Physician targets aspiring and new physicians with the intent to make them better physicians.  It hits the mark.  An effective mix of the writings of some of medicine's giants, as well as clinical experiences of the author, the book offers an historical framework and personal context to understand the attributes and attitudes of the good physician.  It is a quick read that rewards the reader with a sampling of 4000 years of medical wisdom sprinkled with practical advice for the modern day doctor. --Richard G. Roberts, MD, JD, Professor of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, President World Organization of Family Doctors, Past President American Academy of Family Physicians This is a small book and easy to read. It comprises several inspiring sketches of ancient and modern physicians whose reputations were based as much on their dedication to the humanism of medicine as it was to the science of medicine. Those who teach medical students and residents will find it a good source of medical history that, besides being important in itself, will add a new dimension and a little lightness to morning rounds. The author makes it clear that in our era of high technology it is easy to underestimate the importance of uniting humanism with science in caring for the sick. He also provides some practical information on such topics as how to present a case to attending physicians and how to communicate well with patients. The ancient physicians that history remembers were not only astute observers of signs and symptoms but also were deeply concerned about the psychological health of their patients and how disturbances in their emotional health often manifested in physical symptoms. Colgan starts with Hippocrates and Maimonides whose names many young physicians are familiar with. The former for the aphorism “first do no harm” and the latter for being one of the first to call medicine a “vocation” and a “calling.” The following “greats” are included in the book: Dr Albert Schweitzer whose “reverence for life” led him to his missionary medical work in Africa. He wrote Out of My Life and Thought and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. Sir William Osler (1849–1919), known to some as the father of internal medicine, was a respected physician and teacher. He was the author of the Principles and Practice of Medicine, used for decades as the bible of medicine. But his fame rested equally on his dedication as a mentor to young physicians. He often gave graduation addresses to medical students reminding them to maintain a life-long interest in continuous learning and to treat the whole patient not just the disease. Francis Weld Peabody (1881–1927) a teacher at Harvard who had written a book The Care of the Patient in which he discussed how older practitioners often complained that younger doctors’ mindsets were so often over-concerned with testing that they sometimes forgot about how to take care of the whole patient. Dr. Theodore E. Woodward (1914–2005) who was famous for his dedication to patients. Once during a snowstorm he hitched a ride on a snowplow to see his patients at the hospital. He is responsible for the epigram “when you hear hoof beats think of horses not zebras.” Dr Edmund Pellegrino, respected for his studies in bioethics. His interest in protecting the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship has particular importance in our current era when it seems that the art of medicine seems to be overshadowed by the business of medicine. He discusses this in his essay “The Commodification of Medical and Health Care.” Dr. Paul Farmer also is deeply concerned with the ethical ramifications of the commercialization that is overtaking the health system. He is devoted to improving public health on a worldwide scale. The author finishes up with some practical tips such as how to take a good history and how to avoid malpractice suits. He mentions the importance of finding a reasonable balance between our personal and professional lives. To offset the pressures that are sure to arise in caring for patients he reminds us as, Osler said, to look for the “poetry in life,” meaning to really try and understand the human side of the patients we treat. Throughout the book Colgan refers to doctors as “healers.” He suggests that healers are those who rise above the merely technical aspects of their craft and connect with patients in a special way—a way that respects their uniqueness and their human nature. It’s hard to describe in scientific terms what a healer is. As the author points out, most doctors know them when they see them. Edward J. Volpintesta, MD Bethe

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: The title is literal and so is the approach, so the general reader might well pass up this 145-page admonition—except that Colgan, perhaps inadvertently, illuminates a crucial, often neglected element of the current debate on national medical care: physicians’ obligation to serve patients’ urgent needs,  irrespective of compensation. The University of Maryland Medical School associate professor recounts a history of this beneficence, predating the Hippocratic Oath and extending to heroes of the modern medical era. Several, including Sir William Osler, are associated with Johns Hopkins. Parsed out, the message is emphatic: The patient comes first. - Lew Diuguid, John Hopkins Magazine, February 28, 2011 Advice to the Young Physician targets aspiring and new physicians with the intent to make them better physicians. It hits the mark. An effective mix of the writings of some of medicine's giants, as well as clinical experiences of the author, the book offers an historical framework and personal context to understand the attributes and attitudes of the good physician. It is a quick read that rewards the reader with a sampling of 4000 years of medical wisdom sprinkled with practical advice for the modern day doctor. —Richard G. Roberts, MD, JD, Professor of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, President, World Organization of Family Doctors, Past President, American Academy of Family Physicians Dr Colgan's emphasis on humanistic medicine molded my outlook and practice as a student.  He is a teaching physician after the form of the great leaders he writes about here.  He insists we remember our royal heritage, put first our duty to our patients, and honor the calling society has privileged us with. - David A Edwards, MD, PhD, Anesthesiology Resident, University of Florida In Advice to Young Physicians: On the Art of Medicine, Dr. Richard Colgan reflects on the "art" of medicine and what it means in today’s culture and argues effectively for a more active and central role of it in health care training.  By featuring some influential healers from ancient times to present day and drawing from personal experience, Dr. Colgan shows how there has always been recognition of the "human" side of medicine.  . . .This text does more than offer practical tips (which are very relevant to any young healer).  It also helps to reignite a passion that exists for many who start out in training and find themselves worn down and jaded by the formal didactics and stresses that are faced, such as long hours away from family and friends, the heaviness of dealing with pain and suffering, and the culture of medicine, which at times can be cold and seemingly lacking in humanity.  The reader comes to see the power of the art of medicine, that which is "outside of the scientific realm," when caring for the patient. - Stephanie Fleegle, M.D., Second Year Family Medicine Resident, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania “Award-winning professor … offers history, practical advice and inspiration to help young doctors become healers rather than mere technicians in straight ahead prose with a liberal sprinkling of anecdotes. The first half of the book profiles inspiring physicians … . more practical matters in the second half advising on communicating well and with civility establishing a good practice, ‘searching for the true poetry of life’ in the midst of one’s work, and facing the sometimes quixotic task of caring for and healing fellow human beings.” (CUA Magazine, Vol. 22 (2), 2010) “This work reflects the author’s personal definition of the art of medicine. … Each chapter opens with an abstract and ends with a list of references and list of further reading and resources. … physicians of all ages and at various points in their careers would benefit from reading this book. It would make a great graduation gift to new physicians. It is readable and compact enough to fit in the pocket of a standard white lab jacket. I recommend this book … .” (Marie-Alberte Boursiquot, The Linacre Quarterly, Vol. 77 (4), November, 2010) “Richard Colgan, MD, begins to explore this frontier in Advice to the Young Physician: on the Art of Medicine. … On reading Advice to the Young Physician, one leaves wanting a little bit more, happy to be a caring physician, and overwhelmed by the extensive future reading list. … Dr. Colgan brings this forward to share with others both experienced and prospective. It serves as an invitation to be something different, to join the society of healers.” (Kent Bream, Family Medicine, Vol. 43 (2), February, 2011)

From the Back Cover

Advice to the Young Physician introduces the origins of important teachings that form the basis of medicine as it has been taught by some of history's greatest educators in medicine.  Advice to the Young Physician reveals how to make the transition from technician to healer. This book reinforces the humanistic side of patient care, which is often overshadowed by the focus on highly technological elements.  Medical students, residents, fellows, physicians, and allied health practitioners often forget the intricacies of the genomic makeup of adenoviruses, yet they remember the tips, anecdotes and aphorisms related by mentors, educators, and experienced physicians.  The art of medicine comes from insights gained from unique and dynamic experiences between the physician, an enthusiastic medical student and the human patient, and is rarely found in books or taught in a universal and systematic way. Advice to the Young Physician provides numerous examples of best practices in order to internalize and practice the art of medicine, including tenets taught by Hippocrates, Maimonides, Osler, Peabody, Schweitzer and others. Advice to the Young Physician targets aspiring and new physicians with the intent to make them better physicians.  It hits the mark.  An effective mix of the writings of some of medicine's giants, as well as clinical experiences of the author, the book offers an historical framework and personal context to understand the attributes and attitudes of the good physician.  It is a quick read that rewards the reader with a sampling of 4000 years of medical wisdom sprinkled with practical advice for the modern day doctor. --Richard G. Roberts, MD, JD, Professor of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, President World Organization of Family Doctors, Past President American Academy of Family Physicians

Product Details

• Paperback: 149 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1st Edition. edition (October 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1441910336
• ISBN-13: 978-1441910332
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #291,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Colgan M.D.
Academic Title: Associate Professor
Primary Appointment: Family & Community Medicine
[e-mail]
Location: 29 S. Paca Street, Lower Level
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]



Personal History
Richard Colgan, MD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Director of Undergraduate Education in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Dr. Colgan completed a family medicine residency and served as Chief Resident in Family Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center in 1986. Dr. Colgan has been active in the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians, serving in many leadership roles, including President. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of its quarterly publication, Maryland Family Doctor.

Dr. Colgan practiced family medicine in Annapolis, Maryland until 1998, prior to joining the University of Maryland Department of Family Medicine to serve as its Medical Director and Director of Student and Employee Health.

In July 2005 Dr. Colgan was asked to serve as Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department of Family Medicine, as well as course master for the family medicine clerkship and electives in family medicine. Other teaching and mentoring activities include serving as a clinical instructor in gross anatomy lab, small group leader in bacteriology, professionalism and Introduction to Clinical Medicine. He is the faculty advisor to the Family Medicine Interest Group and the Catholic Medical Student Association.

Dr. Colgan has been listed in Best Doctors in America. He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Maryland Defense Force. In 2005 he received the Maryland State Active Duty Medal for Outstanding Service in support of the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort, as well as a Governor's Citation in recognition of volunteer efforts to assist in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Colgan has won faculty teaching awards and was inducted by the class of 2007 into the medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. He was also chosen by the student body to be its nominee to the AAMC for its annual humanism award, and was inducted into the schools Humanism honor society in 2007. In 2008 he was awarded the American Medical Student Association Golden Apple clinical faculty teaching award by the University of Maryland School of Medicine graduating medical school student body.

He is the author of the book Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine, published by Springer.


Research Interests
Medical Student education, humanism in medicine, anti-infective therapies in the outpatient setting, urinary tract infections

Clinical Speciality
Family medicine
Publications

Selected Publications

Colgan, R.,, Stewart D., Rooks, Y and Iafolla, C. Increasing student interest in family medicine and urban health care:The family care tract, Maryland Medicine, 2009;10(1):21-3.

Minken, S. Doyle, J., Colgan, R., Brown, P., "Waging Peace: A Military Medical Humanitarian Mission to Bosnia Herzegovinia", Surgical Grand Rounds, Nov, 2007.

Stewart DL, Feinstein SE, Colgan R. Hypertensive urgencies and emergencies, Prim Care. 2006 Sep;33(3):613-23, v. Review.

Colgan, R., Davis, K., Barish, R., "Operation Lifeline, Medical Response To Hurricane Katrina", Maryland Medicine, Autumn, 2005. [Reprinted State Defense Journal, Vol 2, No. I., Spring, 2006].

Colgan, R., Nicolle, L, MacGloan, A., Hooton, T, "Management of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Adults", American Family Physician, Sep 15, 2006, vol 74, no. 6, pages 985-990.






Colgan, R. "Heirs of Family Practice", Maryland Family Doctor, Spring 2006.

Stewart, D., Colgan, R., Rooks, Y., "Family Medicine Education for Medical Students and Residents", Maryland Family Doctor, Fall, 2005.

Klimberg, Ira, Shockey, Gerald, Ellison, Howard, Freida Fuller-Jonap, Colgan, R, Song, James, Keating, Karen and Cyrus, Pamela, "Time to Symptom Relief For Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection Treated With Extended-Release Ciprofloxacin: A Prospective, Open-label, Uncontrolled Primary Care Study", Current Medical Research Opinion, vol 21, no. 8, 2005, pages 1241-1250.

Nicolle, Lindsay E., Bradley, Suzzanne, Colgan, R, Rice, James C., Schaeffer, Anthony and Hooton, Thomas M. "IDSA Guideline For The Diagnosis and Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria In Adults", Clin Inf Dis, March 1, 2005.

Colgan, R., Keating, K, Dougouih, M, "Survey of Symptom Burden in Woman with Uncomplicated UTIs", Clinical Drug Evaluation February, 2004.

Brunton, S, Carmichael, B, Colgan, R., "AECB: A Primary Care Consensus Guideline", American Journal of Managed Care, Oct, 2004.

Colgan, R., Michocki, R., Geisman, L., Wolff Moore, Tracy A., "Antiviral Drugs in the Immunocompetent Host, Parts I & II", American Family Physician, February 15, 2003.

Colgan, R. "I'm Sorry I was Late", Academic Medicine, October 2002, vol. 77, No. 10.

Colgan, R., Anderson, Larry D., "Searching for the Teaching Moment: Reflections of a Family Physician Instructor in Gross Anatomy Laboratory". Family Medicine, September 2002, Vol. 34, No. 8.

Colgan, R., Murphy, Frank P. et. al, "Skin and Skin Structure Infections: Challenges in Management", Medical Crossfire, September 2002, Vol 3, No. 10.

Colgan, R., "Recognizing the True Poetry of Life", Maryland Family Doctor, Winter, 2002.

Colgan, R. "Responding to a Quality Assurance Audit", Family Practice Management, July 2001.

Colgan, R., Powers, John. "Appropriate Antimicrobial Prescribing: Implications for Limiting Antibiotic Resistance". American Family Physician, 2001; 64 (6): 999-1004.

Bosker, G., Carson Culley C., Colgan, R. et al. "Urinary Tract Infections and The Cost of Antimicrobial Resistance", Postgraduate Medicine, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., August 2001.

Colgan, R. et. al. "Urinary Tract Infections: Primary Care Perspectives, A Special Report". Postgraduate Medicine, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., December 2000.

Carson, Culley C., Colgan, R. et. al. "Current Management of UTI in Women, a Supplement to Patient Care", published Medical Economics, Fall, 2000.

Childs, S., Colgan, R. and Warren, J. "IDSA Treatment Guidelines for Acute, Uncomplicated Cystitis in Women - A Review of their Development, Content and Barriers to Physician Adherence," an article included in: "Urinary Tract Infection Incidence, Recurrence and Treatment", Postgraduate Medicine, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. December 2000.

Colgan, R., "Technology in the New Millennium", Maryland Family Doctor, winter, 2000.

Colgan, R. "Quixotic, Isn't It?" Maryland Family Doctor, Winter, 1999.

Ferentz KS, Sobal J, and Colgan R. "Family Medicine Residency Training - Three or Four Years? Opinions of Residency Directors, Third Year Residents and Recent Residency Graduates". Journal of Family Practice, 1988; 27 (4): 414-20.

Ferentz KS, Sobal J, and Colgan R. "Hospital Privileges for Family Physicians: Patterns of Recent Residency Graduates, Residency Director Perceptions and Resident Expectations". Journal of Family Practice, 1988; 27 (3): 297-301.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insights into the Art of Medicine, June 3, 2011

By 

D. Lobo Dias - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine (Paperback)

There are many "doctor books" targeted to prospective physicians and healers, but few address the crucial "art of medicine." It is a difficult subject to talk or write about, or even teach. However, Dr. Colgan accomplishes both goals, through a careful study of the foundations of modern medicine, and how the art of medicine has evolved over centuries, from Galen and Hippocrates to Dr. Colgan's own teachers. Besides the great anecdotes and historical background (and even poetry), Dr. Colgan also offers crucial advice to future healers on how to strengthen the patient-physician relationship, and improve the "art".
It is an inspiring book, which encourages readers to go forth and make their own contributions to the art of medicine.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A historical, practical, and inspirational guide, August 20, 2011

By 

Richard Bruno (Little Rock, AR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine (Paperback)

Having just started my third year in medical school, I have been struggling on the wards with how to apply the knowledge I have gained in the classrooms over the last two years. Dr Colgan's book was a breath of fresh air. He took a historical, practical, and inspirational approach to conveying the quintessential elements of transitioning from "technician to healer." The book follows a logical flow, yet is broken into easily digestible chapters, each with abstracts to help bring the reader in. Chapters on the notable medical masters encourage the reader to adopt and harness the qualities necessary to become an effective physician leader someday. Practical knowledge is highlighted in the Survival Tips chapter, outlining crucial elements of the patient encounter to do everytime and to avoid everytime. He finishes with a call to continue to embody the healer ideal by always putting patients needs first. In summary, this is an inspired and soul-feeding read that left me more confident in my knowledge and skills by challenging me to recommit to the art of medicine.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring!, July 26, 2011

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newdoc - See all my reviews

This review is from: Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine (Paperback)

I am a second year medical resident. I nearly lost sight of why I went into medicine during my intern year between the slavish hours and exhausting pace. I got this book as a gift for medical school graduation, and it helped remind me why I had chosen this path. So many doctors have gone through this training before, and this collection of wisdom was just the reminder I needed to finish the year. Dr. Colgan's warm tone and unique humor were uplifting right when I needed it most. This should be required reading!