Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine (Paperback)

~ Richard Colgan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

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

Product Description

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: 139 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1st Edition. edition (October 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1441910336
• ISBN-13: 978-1441910332
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #184,127 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)