Official Review: A Little Book of Doctors’ Rules I...

[EvaDar]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Little Book of Doctors’ Rules III ... for Oslerian Clinicians" by Clifton K Meador. MD.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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An effective physician treats not the disease but the person who has the disease. This is the treatment philosophy of the great nineteenth-century diagnostician Dr. William Osler, credited with being the father of modern medicine. Our author, Clifton K. Meador, M.D., has based his medical career on compassionate, scientifically sound care of patients and medical students. Drawing from the late Dr. Osler’s patient-centered guidance, Dr. Meador neatly distills the humanistic message in A Little Book of Doctors’ Rules III… for Oslerian Clinicians.

Speaking to both the art and science of practicing medicine, Dr. Meador offers 375 rules addressing topics including proper rapport with patients, treating dementia, and the proper use of medication. Fascinated by patients with symptoms of unknown origin, Dr. Meador’s wisdom often gravitates toward diagnostic processes. The author, mining his nearly sixty-year medical career for nuggets of advice, deftly manages to write with both compassion and humor.

While written for medical students and professionals, these short rules are easily comprehended and non-technical (mostly). Rule number five reads, “When you are listening to a patient, do not do anything else. Just listen.” This is a balm to the soul of anyone who has had a doctor barely glance at them, or talk with a hand on the door handle. Dr. Meador’s advice ranges from sage and somber to clever and controversial. Here is a small sampling:

- Stop all drugs if possible. If impossible, stop as many as possible.
- If there are difficult patients, then there are difficult physicians. We are of the same species, believe it or not.
- Just because you know a lot of physiology, biochemistry, and anatomy does not mean you know anything about life or people.
- If the patient is a man and there are several women present in the room when you enter, never guess which one is the wife.
-All patients will lie about something. Some will lie about everything.
- With an undiagnosed seriously ill patient, there is probably a physician somewhere who will know what the patient has. Find that physician.

This quick read of just under 100 pages appears to have been professionally edited as I found very few errors. I noted a few small problems in the realm of formatting and layout. The section titles are impacted by high contrast graphics that are placed behind them, making it nearly impossible to read them. And some of the bullet graphics for the rules are misaligned. These issues did not impede my appreciation of the book. I have enjoyed a layperson’s study of complementary medicine and took the chance that this book wasn’t over my head. I wasn’t disappointed. I think I only had to look up three or four terms I didn’t know. I rate A Little Book of Doctors’ Rules III 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend this book to medical professionals and medical students, as well as to any consumer interested in understanding more about how a physician’s inner process works. If you are mistrusting of medical professionals, these proverbs may revive your trust in what’s possible. What’s sure is that Dr. Meador sets the bar higher for our health care professionals. I would be pleased if my doctors aspired to follow these rules.

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A Little Book of Doctors’ Rules III ... for Oslerian Clinicians
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Like Eva Darrington's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Sonya Nicolaidis]

Sadly, the humanitarian aspect of modern medicine seems to be overshadowed by long hours, short staff and the promise of financial gain, rather than helping each other. Hopefully, a book like this will help to put some of the emphasis back on the patients themselves and their healing. I particularly liked the point about really listening to them. Thank you for your opinions of this book.

[Cecilia_L]

Eva, I tried to review this book but only the book cover downloaded. I'm glad you were able to access it because I love the information it provides. This is the type of doctor we all hope to find! Excellent review!

[EvaDar]

Sadly, the humanitarian aspect of modern medicine seems to be overshadowed by long hours, short staff and the promise of financial gain, rather than helping each other. Hopefully, a book like this will help to put some of the emphasis back on the patients themselves and their healing. I particularly liked the point about really listening to them. Thank you for your opinions of this book.

Yes, this doctor embodies a sensibility that is all too often absent in medicine today. Thank you for reading my review and sharing your thoughts.

[EvaDar]

Eva, I tried to review this book but only the book cover downloaded. I'm glad you were able to access it because I love the information it provides. This is the type of doctor we all hope to find! Excellent review!

Thanks Cecilia. That's too bad you weren't able to get a good download. I enjoyed the author's ability to be both funny and compassionate. Interesting guy. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

[kandscreeley]

It sounds like this has some good advice. Doctors these days seem to be focused more on getting the most people seen in a short amount of time not listening to the patients. I don't think I'll be reading it as I'm not a doctor, but it sounds great for the intended audience.

[HollandBlue]

It's been said that a doctor's 'bedside manner' is as important as the treatments he prescribes, and it sounds like this book agrees with this old saying. Thanks for an interesting review!

[Dolor]

- Stop all drugs if possible. If impossible, stop as many as possible.
- If there are difficult patients, then there are difficult physicians. We are of the same species, believe it or not.
- Just because you know a lot of physiology, biochemistry, and anatomy does not mean you know anything about life or people.
- If the patient is a man and there are several women present in the room when you enter, never guess which one is the wife.
-All patients will lie about something. Some will lie about everything.
- With an undiagnosed seriously ill patient, there is probably a physician somewhere who will know what the patient has. Find that physician.

I couldn't agree more on these pieces of advice.

I enjoyed reading your review, but I am not the target audience. Aside from that, I'd like to pick books which spark my interest.

Thanks to your thorough review.

[EvaDar]

It sounds like this has some good advice. Doctors these days seem to be focused more on getting the most people seen in a short amount of time not listening to the patients. I don't think I'll be reading it as I'm not a doctor, but it sounds great for the intended audience.

Yes, it was refreshing to think that there is a school of medicine that holds these patient-centered beliefs. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[EvaDar]

It's been said that a doctor's 'bedside manner' is as important as the treatments he prescribes, and it sounds like this book agrees with this old saying. Thanks for an interesting review!

You are right about that. Thanks for dropping by.

[EvaDar]

- Stop all drugs if possible. If impossible, stop as many as possible.
- If there are difficult patients, then there are difficult physicians. We are of the same species, believe it or not.
- Just because you know a lot of physiology, biochemistry, and anatomy does not mean you know anything about life or people.
- If the patient is a man and there are several women present in the room when you enter, never guess which one is the wife.
-All patients will lie about something. Some will lie about everything.
- With an undiagnosed seriously ill patient, there is probably a physician somewhere who will know what the patient has. Find that physician.

I couldn't agree more on these pieces of advice.

I enjoyed reading your review, but I am not the target audience. Aside from that, I'd like to pick books which spark my interest.

Thanks to your thorough review.

Thanks for stopping in and sharing your thoughts.

[inaramid]

"This is a balm to the soul of anyone who has had a doctor barely glance at them, or talk with a hand on the door handle."

This line strikes close to the heart, and the book sounds like a good ego check for physicians. The "playing god" shtick can be quite dangerous.

PS: "All patients will lie about something. Some will lie about everything." -- I'm getting flashbacks to Hugh Laurie in House, M.D.

[Silvia itegi]

The points highlighted in this book are reality to everyday life and I think it would help medical students, doctors and anybody else related to this book.. I enjoyed it

[CommMayo]

This sounds like a great book for current and prospective medical professionals to read in our era of billable hours and hyper productivity. It is important to never forget that you are treating individuals, not illnesses.

[EvaDar]

"This is a balm to the soul of anyone who has had a doctor barely glance at them, or talk with a hand on the door handle."

This line strikes close to the heart, and the book sounds like a good ego check for physicians. The "playing god" shtick can be quite dangerous.

PS: "All patients will lie about something. Some will lie about everything." -- I'm getting flashbacks to Hugh Laurie in House, M.D.

My family was once deeply impacted by an arrogant neurologist's insensitivity. This book encourages me to think that maybe a few of those kinds of doctors will happen upon the book. Hoping for that ego check. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Love House!