Apologies to the faithful reader who checks this website regularly for new posts. I have been swamped preparing for an Internal Medicine recertification exam that will be held next month.
The exam covers all the specialties like cardiology, neurology (brain), general internal medicine, nephrology (kidneys), hematology and oncology (blood and cancer problems), gastroenterology and hepatology (intestines and liver), infectious diseases, pulmonology (lungs), endocrine (hormones), dermatology (skin), male and female health, allergies and immunology, geriatrics (elderly patients) and rheumatology (joints).
Since I took the last recertification 10 years ago, many developments have happened in the basic sciences, guideline recommendations, and medications. Lots of new stuff!
Some things that I observe while studying:
- Medicine has become more detailed, and there is a better explanation of why diseases happen. I like that.
- Advancements in human sciences like genetics are mostly translated to medication development. (That’s where the money is)
- Majority of the diseases like non-communicable and autoimmune are a result of lifestyle (eating and sexual habits) and the medications that we doctors prescribe.
- Diseases that are familial or genetic causes are a minority in number, and they may be initiated by lifestyle choice.
- The focus of the latest reviewers that are the most used and that I read, Medstudy and MKSAP are all on diagnosis and treatment. Little mention of prevention. That emphasis and knowledge reflect on the current medical practice.
- New medications are costly. I doubt that insurance companies will cover them entirely.
- I presume that in my next recertification, I will be studying the side effects of the new drugs that I am studying right now. Funny how the serious side effects of drugs become more well known after their patents run out. There will be an article in the future about the side effects of commonly used drugs in the near future.
- Chronic inflammatory diseases associated with all age groups, including the aging population, can be prevented by eating lots of vegetables, a little meat, low carbohydrate, and resistance exercises (weightlifting) and High-intensity exercises.
- Current medical guidelines recommend that diabetes, hypertension, and cancer treatment could be relaxed if the life expectancy is less than 10 years. This sounds reasonable except if you are a 55-year-old patient riddled with preventable medical conditions.
- If the current increasing trend in chronic illness continues, health care will continue to spiral out of control and the patients who matter the most will suffer the most.
By the middle of October, expect the articles to resume with many new topics that are useful and “high-value” to the readers. Until then.
Don’t Get Sick!
Related Readings:
- Disease Prevention Has a Deadline
- The Two Minute Warning
- Are You Ready for Doctor Shortages?
- Asclepiades of Bithynia, the Father of Molecular Medicine
- I Have Seen the Promised Land of Health Care! It’s in another Galaxy!
- What Can a Broken Bone Teach about Healing?
- The Dose Makes the Poison
- Where Are Your Drugs From?
- Why Can’t I Lose Weight? – a doodle video
- How can exercise and low carb diet burn fat? – a doodle video
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