September 1st, 2010 by DrRob in Better Health Network, Opinion, True Stories
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Dear Student:
Thank you for your consideration of my profession for your career. I am a primary care physician (PCP) and have practiced for the past 16 years in a privately-owned practice. (At some point I intend to stop practicing and start doing the real thing. It amazes me at how many patients let me practice on them.)
Anyhow, I thought I’d give you some advice as you go through what is perhaps your biggest decision regarding your career. Like me, you probably once thought that choosing to become a doctor was the biggest decision, but within medicine there are many options, giving a very wide range of career choices. It is the final choice that is, well, final. What are you going to do with your life? ”Being a doctor” covers so much range, that it really has little meaning. Dr. Oz is a doctor, and he has a very different life from mine (for one, he’s not the target of Oprah’s contempt like I am -– but that’s a whole other story).
Here are the things to consider when thinking about primary care:
1. Do you like talking to people who are not like you?
Primary care doctors spend time with humans -– normal humans. This is both good and bad, as you see all sides of people, the good, bad , crazy, annoying, funny, and vulnerable sides. If you see mental challenge as the main reason to do something, and would simply put up with the human interaction in primary care, don’t do it. The single most important thing I have with my patients that most non-PCPs don’t have is relationship. I see people over their lifetime, and that gives me a unique perspective.
2. Do you prefer variety over predictability?
Every room I walk into is different –- often vastly different -– from the last. I could be walking in on a crisis or a stable recheck. The person could be elated or crying. They could be 90 years old or two days old. They could have something wrong with any system, and it could range from mild to life-threatening. I’d go nuts doing the same thing every day, be it looking just at skin or just dealing with the kidney. But some folks do better with routine and a lack of surprise, they don’t want their days to be unpredictable. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Distractible Mind*
August 27th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Humor, Opinion
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If you’re considering primary care medicine as a career someday and want some great insights into what it takes to become a good one, Dr. Rob clarifies the personality type and tolerances required.
So what does it take to be a specialist? Exactly the same. Except the part where he describes a possible need for outward social status and only working on left fingers.
Just realize that those extra years of training that we not-so-specialists endure are really there just so we can completely forget most of what we once knew and how to fill out discharge paperwork.
-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist.
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
August 26th, 2010 by RyanDuBosar in Better Health Network, News, Research
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An eye-popping statistic shows that 94 percent of doctors have adopted smartphones, in part to keep up with an information glut. A consulting group released results of 100 in-depth interviews with physicians working in acute and ambulatory care environments in numerous specialties nationwide. The physicians used the phones to communicate, manage personal/business workflows, and access information, including medical reference materials. (In case you’re curious about what your peers are using, 44 percent use an iPhone and 25 percent use a BlackBerry.)
This growth in adoption — a 60 percent increase since 2006 — isn’t surprising, since the same survey reported that doctors’ biggest challenges are communicating with colleagues in a timely manner, the volume of communications with patients and the entire care team, and the different platforms (e-mail, voice mail, pager, etc.) needed to keep up with it all.
But one early adopter, Dr. Rob Lamberts, ACP member, cautions that while the new technology can help, it isn’t yet.
*This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist*
August 11th, 2010 by Lucy Hornstein, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Health Tips, Opinion
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I like Dr. Rob, the one with the “distractible mind.” And although I thoroughly agree with the stance he takes in his recent post against cholesterol screening in kids, I must take issue with his opening statement:
I have a unique vantage point when it comes to the issue universal cholesterol screening in children, when compared to most pediatricians. My unique view stems from the fact that I am also an internist who deals with those children after they grow up on KFC Double Downs.
From Dictionary.com:
“Unique: existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics.”
Your med-peds training allows you to follow patients from birth to death (but no obstetrics or gynecology). You can care for all organ systems and all stages of disease (but without as much training in psychiatry). Congratulations! You’ve just (re)invented family practice (except for the above shortcomings). Oh, wait — that’s already a recognized specialty with its own residency programs, boards and everything like that, forty years now.
This misuse of the word “unique” is one of my pet peeves. “Unique?” I don’t think that word means what you think it means. After twenty years in practice, I agree that there probably isn’t much difference between what Dr. Rob does and what I do. After twenty years, I’m not even sure how much relevance remains from our “training.” Still, there remains a great deal of confusion about the very real differences between family practice and med-peds residencies. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Dinosaur*
July 13th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in Announcements
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Congratulations to Better Health blogger, Dr. Rob Lamberts, for landing a regular podcasting gig.
Here’s the press release:
***
The HOUSE CALL DOCTOR’S QUICK AND DIRTY TIPS FOR TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH, hosted by Dr. Rob Lamberts, joins the highly successful Quick and Dirty Tips iTunes podcasts on July 14, with free content also available for download at www.quickanddirtytips.com.
How can I lower my cholesterol? Is Tylenol really safe? Why do my bruises itch? No topic is off limits for the House Call Doctor—the newest addition to Macmillan’s Quick and Dirty Tips self-improvement franchise. Dr. Rob Lamberts practices full-time in his primary care private practice in the southeastern US. He is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics, and has doctored for the past 15 years. Lamberts’ recent involvement in the advocacy of electronic medical records has received national recognition and his popular medical blog, Musings of a Distractible Mind, was named one of Tara Parker-Pope’s “favorite medical blogs” in her New York Times Well blog.
With his trademark sense of humor and straightforward advice, Dr. Lamberts answers a wide variety of questions in this QDT podcast, mixing his extensive experience in the medical field with accessible advice that is both accurate and easy to understand. Filled with friendly and in-depth answers on listeners’ most pressing health issues, House Call Doctor offers progressive and innovative ways to look at medicine and the healthcare industry as a whole.
The House Call Doctor’s first series of podcasts will cover a wide range of health concerns and medical inquiries, including:
– What do I really need to know about cholesterol?
– How do I talk to my doctor about medical information I’ve found on the Internet?
– Where do bruises come from, and how can I get rid of them?
– What are the dangers of using popular pain relievers, such as Tylenol?
– What should I look out for to prevent the over use of antibiotics?
Dr. Lamberts’ expert tips will give listeners the tools they need to understand their bodies better and improve their health and quality of life. His goal with the House Call Doctor is to “make medical things easier to understand and hopefully to offer a little entertainment in the process.” As Dr. Lamberts says, “People want to understand their health, but unfortunately many of the explanations out there are either confusing or boring.”
Quick and Dirty Tips, known for both its friendly and informative style and its innovative digital content distribution, has already introduced fourteen fascinating experts on a variety of subjects to millions of fans via podcasts, audiobooks, and online interaction. Popular Quick and Dirty Tips shows include: Grammar Girl, Sales Guy, The Dog Trainer, and Money Girl.
