Grand Rounds-Volume 7 No.5: Lessons Learned

Welcome to this Edition of Grand Rounds. I'm honored to be hosting for my first time. The topic is education and lessons learned. I hope you enjoy!

The classroom (aka- how a medical student spends her days..) 
Clinical Skills & Patient Communication

To start us off let’s talk about the physical exam. Is it dying? The Stanford 25 is here to say no, or at least attempt its revival. Check out this post discussing the use of simulation technology in medicine. And browse the blog sidebar for 25 physical exam skills every doctor should know.

In contrast Fizzy gives us a humorous reflection of medical students learning heart murmurs on her blog, A Cartoon Guide to Becoming a Doctor. Do you know the 6 grades of heart murmurs?

Don't forget your communication skills! Dr. Val of Better Health shares her experience as a patient and reminds healthcare staff to Please Hold the Snark.

And finally a medical sign that won't be found in the textbooks. Dr. Happy of The Happy Hospitalist presents "Texting in the ER Sign" as a good prognostic indicator for the clinical findings of status asthmaticus.

Review for Step 1: Anatomy, Neurology and Nutrition

For a fresh look at some anatomical illustrastions from Edo Period Japan we have a blog by medical student Kambiz.


The Tangled Neuron bring us The Trouble with Expectations and a reminder to take health headlines (particularly Alzheimer’s research headlines) with a grain of salt.

In case you have ever wondered what exactly is in those prenatal vitamins The Examining Room of Dr. Charles is here to break it down for you.


Pondering life over lunch break...
Miles in My Shoes offers a "Karate Kid Lesson" for  medical students like me.  And if you are done with your training maybe you'll find the reflection apropos as well. In either case, it is worth checking out.

On to Hospital Rotations (aka what kind of doctor should one become?)

Internal Medicine

Dr. Manning of ACP Hospitalist brings us a lesson learned in her touching post, One is Enough. Her synopsis: “A physician trying to make it to a colleague's educational seminar learns a life lesson about what's truly important when she misses it.”

Pediatrics

Beth of Life. Not Terribly Ordinary. chronicles her arrival as a new attending in The Ride.


And from the unique viewpoint of the medical photographer come this post: Two Kids in Hospital from The Sterile Eye.


ER & Radiology

The Colorado Health Insurance Insider gives us an example of The Wisdom of Evidence Based Medicine with this post about reducing the number of CTs given to children with head injuries.


Primary Care & Geriatrics
 
The Doctors' Rheum posts a love letter to her friends in primary care thanking them for their incredibly difficult job.

Nurse Resnick of Health AGEnda writes about the need for Increasing Gerontology Education for Nurses.

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I think it is time for a coffee break. Go grap yourself a cup, drink in those antioxidants and while you do, read this post about blueberries and coffee gratis The Cockroachcatcher.

So, are you ready to go run a marathon? No!?!  (Me neither...) but Traci did and tells us all about it in her blog with the post Just DID it!

Dr. Pullen.com updates us on the progress made in Preventing teen traffic deaths.

Next up, you can read about how "researchers learn a lesson in unintended consequences when they try to influence medical decision-making through policy changes" here courtesy of ACP Internist.

And on to life lessons taught and those that teach us. A touching tribute by Insure Blog, In Memorium- Bye Papa.


And now for a few things 
NOT learned in medical school

Academicobgyn writes an informative series of two posts regarding the insurance appeals process- Part 1: How it all works and Part 2: Winning your appeals. This is worth the read if you or your doctor are trying to get an insurance appeal granted or if you are a medical resident and are looking for a moonlighting opportunity.

Healthbusinessblog brings us a look at mini-meds (low coverage insurance plans) and how they can be useful in some patient populations.


And the learning is never done. In finale we have...
Lessons not yet learned

How To Cope With Pain shares Guess What? There's STILL a Lack of Knowledge about Pain Treatment.

I thank you for stopping by. And I'd like to give a big thank you to Dr. Nick Genes of blogborygmi and Dr. Val Jones of Better Health for letting me host.

Don't forget to check out Grand Round next week with a special election themed edition, Dr. Wes is hosting. Enjoy your Tuesday!