Read: September 2011
I was lent this book by a colleague at work after I’d recommended to them the Goldacre Bad Science book. It is written by a surgeon in the early years of qualification as they reflect on their experiences as a resident trainee, and how they continue to learn new techniques each day.
It is a very obvious premise when you think about it. Gawande points out that when it comes to medicine, and surgery especially, we want to have the best doctor on hand with the most experience and lowest risk of error. However to get to be the surgeon with the most experience you have to practice… so where do you get this practice from if you aren’t performing surgery (because you aren’t the most experienced yet)? The book also ponders a thought which I see in teaching and education – that you may have been doing this for many ‘years’, but in that case you were trained in techniques many years ago, and aren’t necessarily doing the new/modern/cutting edge thing. Again - how can you balance the years experience with the value of fresh ideas, fresh mind and fresh enthusiasm. Continuing Professional Development may be the buzz word here, but then you get back to the original conundrum – how can you have the most experience in your field if you don’t get to practice!
I did find this book fascinating – from the case examples given, the personal reflection on his own failings and premise of learning curves. It was difficult at times to read though because of thinking about the situation I am in at the moment hearing that a family member needs to undergo diagnosis and surgery.
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