"It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows." - Epictetus. Most doctors take pride in their medical knowledge, and the hallmark of a medical professional is his medical expertise. Unfortunately it is a sad fact of life that most practicing doctors are too busy to keep up to date with the newest medical knowledge . Few read medical journals ; some do attend medical conferences, but primarily to meet friends and socialize , rather than to learn; and most depend upon their “friendly “ medical representative to educate them.
Many senior doctors feel that their years of accumulated experience mean that they do not need to learn anything new anymore. However, as Michael O’Donnell points out in A Sceptic's Medical Dictionary , clinical experience can be defined as making the same mistakes with increasing confidence over an impressive number of years. This sorry…
