Kill as Few Patients as Possible
Oscar Landon, M.D.
c. 1987, 1997
Ten Speed Press: Berkley, CA
109 pages
Oscar Landon, M.D.
c. 1987, 1997
Ten Speed Press: Berkley, CA
109 pages
Andrew, in his infinite awesomeness, sent me this book as a random present. It's a collection of essays "on how to be the world's best doctor" written by a witty guy with a private internal medicine practice out in California.
There's 56 essays in all, each a page or two long, most of which are highly amusing. Each essay is titled with a simple word or phrase meant to be read as the rules for becoming, "the world's best doctor" (Landon claims you can't officially have that title until after his death, but by reading and following the rules, you can be next in line when he heads to the big waiting room in the sky.)
The tone of the book is interesting, and I recommend it (as a very quick read) to anyone that's interested in medicine. (I'm obsessed with doctors, which of course is how Andrew knew that I would like it.)
Some of the rules are clearly good advice that I hope I will be able to follow as a physician someday. "If You Can't Save Your Patient's Life, Find Someone Who Can," is about recognizing when you need to send someone to a specialist in another area, and knowing the best one to send them to. "Make a Housecall and Be a Legend In Your Own Time," is self explanatory. "Call in Death as a Consultant," is a great reminder that patients trust you, and that a mistake on your part could be *very* bad, so you should keep the worst in mind and try to catch everything. And of course, the title "Kill as Few Patients as Possible," a goal that all doctors should aspire to.
Others of the rules are clearly good advice that apply to my life (and maybe yours) right now. "When You Make a Mistake So Horrible It Is To Die Over, Don't," reminds you also not to drink or mope too much over it either. "Don't Be Late For Your Own Happy Hour," reminds that there is a time to stop working and that you should put that into your schedule as well (And also suggests reading every day, good stuff. ) "Execute Insurance Forms at Dawn," means get the unpleasantness out of the way right away rather than letting it build up and hang over your head (as I often do.) And of course "Since Death is Very Still, Keep Moving" (Most of the time I think that I have that one almost down.)
Still, there's some advice that I am suspect of. "If You Don't Believe in Prescribing Valium For Your Anxious Patients, Be Sure To Take One Yourself," I'm not sure that giving all anxious people highly addictive medication is a good idea. In fact, in general I think that Dr. Landon is a little too comfortable with "doctor's little helper." Of course, this in part comes from the perspective of someone that knows that she doesn't like the way she feels when taking that whole class of medications, so perhaps don't take me too seriously. Maybe he's right. I don't have anxious patients, yet. 'Take Up A Hobby and Become a Multifaceted Bore Instead of a Simple One" seems to come out against my nature as a person that likes to do a lot (too much). Again, maybe I will give up my sketchbook and ultimate and all that jazz once I too have patients to worry about, but for the love of God, I hope not. I do think that people need hobbies and interests, even people with big important time consuming jobs. An article in this month's issue of scientific American Mind on burnout actually suggests that people with those kinds of jobs need a way to relax that much more. But I digress. Dr. Landon also seems to have a more lax attitude about journal reading than I plan to have, but then again, we all know that I am an obsessive reader, so I suppose that we can't hold it against him. (Unless that is you want to be treated with the most up and coming treatment for your random disease, in which case, you might want a better journal reader doing the treating, but again, I digress.)
There is some advice I just can't follow: Rule #1 "Be Jewish"
And then there's some advice that, in my opinion, is just plain BAD. I won't go into the whole tirade on why I disagree with, "Don't Let A Shrink Take Credit For Giving Your Patient Prozac," but if you would like to read my 176 page thesis on the topic, I suppose I could send you a pdf.
But despite my occasional differences in opinion, this book is highly enjoyable. He's amusing, if sometimes a little off, and it's a quick read. Future doctors of America should pick it up. It has a couple doses of reality that are probably good for all of us as we study for the MCATs and beyond. (Patients die, its horrible, but true. I still, after all my years of wanting to be a doctor, have a lot of trouble with that idea. I hope that will help to make me better.)
And remember, the best advice in the book, "Praise Nurses," saved me about 45 minutes of work, just today.
In other words, just be nice to people.
There's 56 essays in all, each a page or two long, most of which are highly amusing. Each essay is titled with a simple word or phrase meant to be read as the rules for becoming, "the world's best doctor" (Landon claims you can't officially have that title until after his death, but by reading and following the rules, you can be next in line when he heads to the big waiting room in the sky.)
The tone of the book is interesting, and I recommend it (as a very quick read) to anyone that's interested in medicine. (I'm obsessed with doctors, which of course is how Andrew knew that I would like it.)
Some of the rules are clearly good advice that I hope I will be able to follow as a physician someday. "If You Can't Save Your Patient's Life, Find Someone Who Can," is about recognizing when you need to send someone to a specialist in another area, and knowing the best one to send them to. "Make a Housecall and Be a Legend In Your Own Time," is self explanatory. "Call in Death as a Consultant," is a great reminder that patients trust you, and that a mistake on your part could be *very* bad, so you should keep the worst in mind and try to catch everything. And of course, the title "Kill as Few Patients as Possible," a goal that all doctors should aspire to.
Others of the rules are clearly good advice that apply to my life (and maybe yours) right now. "When You Make a Mistake So Horrible It Is To Die Over, Don't," reminds you also not to drink or mope too much over it either. "Don't Be Late For Your Own Happy Hour," reminds that there is a time to stop working and that you should put that into your schedule as well (And also suggests reading every day, good stuff. ) "Execute Insurance Forms at Dawn," means get the unpleasantness out of the way right away rather than letting it build up and hang over your head (as I often do.) And of course "Since Death is Very Still, Keep Moving" (Most of the time I think that I have that one almost down.)
Still, there's some advice that I am suspect of. "If You Don't Believe in Prescribing Valium For Your Anxious Patients, Be Sure To Take One Yourself," I'm not sure that giving all anxious people highly addictive medication is a good idea. In fact, in general I think that Dr. Landon is a little too comfortable with "doctor's little helper." Of course, this in part comes from the perspective of someone that knows that she doesn't like the way she feels when taking that whole class of medications, so perhaps don't take me too seriously. Maybe he's right. I don't have anxious patients, yet. 'Take Up A Hobby and Become a Multifaceted Bore Instead of a Simple One" seems to come out against my nature as a person that likes to do a lot (too much). Again, maybe I will give up my sketchbook and ultimate and all that jazz once I too have patients to worry about, but for the love of God, I hope not. I do think that people need hobbies and interests, even people with big important time consuming jobs. An article in this month's issue of scientific American Mind on burnout actually suggests that people with those kinds of jobs need a way to relax that much more. But I digress. Dr. Landon also seems to have a more lax attitude about journal reading than I plan to have, but then again, we all know that I am an obsessive reader, so I suppose that we can't hold it against him. (Unless that is you want to be treated with the most up and coming treatment for your random disease, in which case, you might want a better journal reader doing the treating, but again, I digress.)
There is some advice I just can't follow: Rule #1 "Be Jewish"
And then there's some advice that, in my opinion, is just plain BAD. I won't go into the whole tirade on why I disagree with, "Don't Let A Shrink Take Credit For Giving Your Patient Prozac," but if you would like to read my 176 page thesis on the topic, I suppose I could send you a pdf.
But despite my occasional differences in opinion, this book is highly enjoyable. He's amusing, if sometimes a little off, and it's a quick read. Future doctors of America should pick it up. It has a couple doses of reality that are probably good for all of us as we study for the MCATs and beyond. (Patients die, its horrible, but true. I still, after all my years of wanting to be a doctor, have a lot of trouble with that idea. I hope that will help to make me better.)
And remember, the best advice in the book, "Praise Nurses," saved me about 45 minutes of work, just today.
In other words, just be nice to people.
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