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About Me

I have been blogging and tweeting for almost 9 years. My blog has had more than 3,500,000 page views. I have over 10,500 Twitter followers. You can follow me on Twitter @SkepticScalpel [note "Skeptic" instead of "Skeptical"].

I am a former chairman of surgery and residency program director. I've had many research papers published--some good, some not so good.

Please browse my archive of previous posts or check out my most popular posts listed on the right side of the Home page.

If you would like to contact me, ask me a question, or suggest a topic for the blog, email me at SkepticalScalpel(at)hotmail.com [Replace (at) with @].

Please look at the "Read This Before Commenting" tab before commenting.

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Nothing posted on this site is to be construed as providing medical advice. Medical advice can only be obtained from personal interaction with your physician or other provider. No decision about your medical care should be made on the basis of anything posted or referred to on this site.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your tweets. Didn't realise your experience, though presumed you were, or had been, a doctor. Thanks for sharing all of this with us. I continue to learn an awful lot. @PreciousThing, UK.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

I appreciate your kind comments and that you follow me.

docster said...

Thank you for this amazing blog! Every post here resonates with something I have thought about deeply at one point or the other. Your words speak for the years of experience and such wisdom is rare to come by this easily. Really appreciate it !

Maybe one day you could combine all your posts into a book for medical students like me.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thanks very much for the comments. I am thinking of putting some of my blogs into an ebook.

I'll have more time to work on it as of December. I will keep you posted.

Hackman said...

What a wonderful Blog. I am just a high school student who aspire to enter the field of medicine. I appreciate the fact this blog points out the imperfections of the medical field. It gives a hint on the crap my generation will eventually inherit, and perhaps contribute to as well. Despite that, this blog has not diminished my drive to enter this professions. Is this field polluted with crap? Of course it is. But for every individual who is trying to make a profit at the expense of a human's health, there is always another individual who is genuinely trying to save a life. As a doctor, I intend to join the army of the latter.

Thank you for maintaining such a powerful blog. Regards.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thank you for the kind words. I hope you keep reading my blog.

Anonymous said...

Your blog is right on, everytime! I also have spent the last 40 yrs in an OR but as an RN. I'm watching the robotic "craze" and remember the laser "craze" in the 70's. I see robotics going the same way as laser, limited specialized use. Too much fuss, too much expense,longer surgery times, no outcome differences except for new complications. Can't stand that we are "marketing" surgery! Will continue to be a blog fan.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thank you for the comment, which I really appreciate coming from an OR nurse of 40 years.

You make a very good point that I had not thought of. I might blog about the similarities between the laser and robot.

Anonymous said...

As a former department chair in a Midwestern university training program I find your insights helpful in stripping away some of the obfuscation that surrounds medicine today. Keep it up.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thank you very much. I'm trying.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

No, I'm not.

Anonymous said...

OMG is that you Norwood???

Skeptical Scalpel said...

I was going to say yes just to mess with you.

Gary M. Levin said...

Dear skeptical. Glad to see you have joined our ranks of bloggers. Read your post on KevinMD. I used to read you often, but now I am busy publishing information on Health Reform, and HIT.
I have suspected the inadequatre training of residents/fellows during the last decade of my ophthalmology practice, as well. Analogous to your observations regarding open vs laparoscopic cases, in ophthalmology the comparison between small incision cataract surgery with phacoemulsification and open extracapsular cataract extraction is identical. I found my last group of residents to have great difficulty converting from small incison to a 140 degree limbal incision. Small incison (clear cornea) requires no sutures 90% of the time. The residents have problems with using the correct instruments, and even suturing as well as tying knots. I have had to finish many cases myself while teaching trainees. I also strongly agree that community trainng is essential. Some of the best learning experiences were at community hospitals, where you see a wide variety of techniques, also get to see more complications from less accomplished surgeons. Advances in surgery and changes in health reform open a whole new pandora's box.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Gary, thanks. I'm sorry to see that the problems extend to you specialty too.

Julia said...

I'm so disappointed I just realized you are not training any more. You sound like just the person I would be honored to train under!
Greetings,
Great admirer,
MS1 babystudent

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Julia, thank you for the kind comments. Good luck with med school. In the words of Napoleon Dynamite, I hope "your wildest dreams come true."

Anonymous said...

Dear Skeptical. I am interested to hear your thoughts about a surgeons reputation. I live in the UK where now, it's possible for the general public to access outcome data (30 days post-op) on all surgeons and I wondered how this transperency and potential pressure could effect the surgeon themselves. How important is their reputation and what goes to make up their reputation in your opinion? Many thanks.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Anon, that is a great question. Give me a little time and I will post my response on the blog site. Thank you.

Fat Bastardo said...

40 years! That means that your were a physician when medicine was a profession and not an industry.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Yes, it was better in the old days.

connmannic said...

Oh my gosh you quoted Napoleon Dynamite. If there was ever a need to subscribe...

Been on your site many times, finally sub'd.
Very interested in surgery. Thank you for your hard work!

Regards,

Connmannic
Biomedical Engineer, Medical School Bound

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Connmannic, thank you so much for the kind comments. I hope I don't disappoint.

Anonymous said...

Would you consider tutoring a general surgery resident for the ABSITE?

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Sorry for the late reply. Busy Weekend.

I appreciate the thought, but I've been retired for 3.5 years. I'm a bit out of the loop. I have not even looked at an ABSITE exam for about 8 years.

If you have some time and are willing to share information with me, please email me at SkepticalScalpel@hotmail.com. I'd like to ask you some questions.

JoMI said...

Hello!
We like your content and would love to get in touch with you because we are a surgical video journal / virtual operating theatre.
We think that our content will be very useful for your blog.

Would love to get in touch!
Thanks

Skeptical Scalpel said...

If you would like to contact me, ask me a question, or suggest a topic for the blog, email me at SkepticalScalpel(at)hotmail.com [Replace (at) with @].

Pouya Bahrami said...

Instead of waiting for 5 years more they should go to a PA school and get a degree as soon as possible. I have seen it done. I know a PA that manages 5 physicians. He used to be and MD. It's about balls...what's inside. A PA with an MD background can quickly establish his own practice under another physician's office. A great PA can be invaluable and can make substantial sums and "play" doctor. It takes some sort of a license. That's all these people need. Think of it this way, instead of 5 years of residence, they jump into a PA school and get to practice in 2 years. That's how comical are our laws and our system.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thanks for the comment. I wish you had put it on the most recent post instead of here where the people most interested in what you have to say will not see it.

I think you have a point, but there are some problems with your suggestion. I have heard that PA schools do not necessarily want to accept doctors. The other issue is that the unmatched MDs already have substantial debt and may not be able to afford the tuition for PA school.