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Shameless plug for primary care and UpToDate and reading


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This is not meant to be self edifying...

 

Have a new patient - 45yr old male, hx of Hodkins lymphoma many years ago - something like 15

 

I am not overly familiar with this, and read uptodate on it - (I know what I don't know) 

 

Says that they are at increased risk for colon CA and should have colonoscopy early

 

I talked to him, explained - NO ONE not his PCP or Onc doc had ever mentioned this to him, so off to colonoscopy he goes - turns out precancerous polyps seen and removed...

 

PCP is not about knowing it all, PCP is about reading, educating, and communicating to the patient what you have learned - it is not degree specific (to Boarded Doc's had NEVER mentioned this to him.....)

 

 

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My patients are always pleasantly surprised and complimentary when I tell them or show them the UpToDate or CDC or whatever research I have done on their condition.

I had to look up Alpha1Antitrypsin to see the genetics and I print patient education material from UpToDate daily. I find things I haven't seen in years or names for conditions that I may have never seen. 

Medicine is about learning and never not learning, advancing and improving. 

Continual learning is a hallmark of the PA profession in my opinion. We work in so many fields and I have seen over the years that those attracted to the profession are by and large learners and seekers. 

Keep up the good work!!!

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Use UpToDate (UTD) every day!  Old job provided it for everybody apart from their CME.  New job does not include UTD, but negotiated to have it paid for separate from my CME...magically they are now implementing that system wide for all PCP.

Can definitely become a crutch and slow you down if you rely on it for every med/dose/etc., but otherwise it is almost a requirement in my mind.

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12 hours ago, mgriffiths said:

Use UpToDate (UTD) every day!  Old job provided it for everybody apart from their CME.  New job does not include UTD, but negotiated to have it paid for separate from my CME...magically they are now implementing that system wide for all PCP.

Can definitely become a crutch and slow you down if you rely on it for every med/dose/etc., but otherwise it is almost a requirement in my mind.

funny you bring this up

 

early in my career I wanted to no get meds and doses confused so I looked EVERYTHING up

mid career things are mostly right there, but at times I start to doubt if I am still current with the latest guidelines (recently bought Sanford Guide (larger print) to just make sure I was on track)   

But back to the point - I start reading in UTD and find it amazing in two regards - one how much a provider needs to know (and I am nothing special) and two how much more is out there to know, and yes I could easily see it being a crutch......  but I am busy enough I am lucky to get 10min to read it

overall a GREAT resource!!

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