Reflections on Medicine and Life by Dr. S.P. Kalantri
Clinical stories and reflections on evidence-based medicine, research, and patient care.
Very soon, our teaching hospital, located in a village in central India, shall use a new computed tomography (CT) equipment for obtaining high-quality radiologic images. The previous CT scanner- it had served us well for 10 years – was living a borrowed life. The hospital, therefore decided to invest into a new CT scanner. The … Read the essay
Parsimonious. My teachers taught me this principle at the bedside during my residency. A single diagnosis should explain all symptoms and signs whenever possible. That was in 1980. Physicians relied on their brains and stethoscopes. They took detailed histories, examined patients thoroughly, ordered few tests, discussed differentials, and took pride in getting the diagnosis right. … Read the essay
Are the medical professionals so poor, as a BMJ editorial asked long ago, that they cannot afford to buy their pen, pad or pizza? And are the doctors so ignorant about the new therapies and new drug discoveries that they need help from medical representatives and the drug industry? Very few doctors learn during their … Read the essay
A well-focussed research question is one of the most important components of the research study. Here is a link to the PowerPoint presentation on YouTube:
Sunday morning. I was rounding with my residents. We moved as a group to the ICU, stopping at each bed. A middle-aged woman with a heart attack. A boy fighting malaria. A young man battling HIV and TB. We checked their vitals, reviewed test results, and adjusted their treatment. At bed 7, a young woman … Read the essay