It was just a few weeks ago that I took my Family Medicine Boards again. It's a test that is supposed to see if family doctors know all the stuff they are supposed to. You don't need to take the test to practice medicine, but you do need to do so to claim to be "Board Certified" (which I am currently and hope to remain). The test isn't easy and I think it is probably best at sorting out which doctors are willing to take time to read and study and stay current on medical developments.
Unfortunately, I am afraid that Board Exams aren't very good at discerning who are the good doctors out there. There is one skill that I believe is the most important one necessary to diagnose a patient. It is the ability to listen well.
Perhaps such a skill is natural in some people, but it can be developed in anyone. Paying attention to a person's face, watching their hands, and listening, not only to what they are saying, but also to what they aren't saying, is crucial to learning what is really going on.
Listening does two things. The first is that it helps a doctor learn the diagnosis. Most patient will tell you the important things about what is wrong with them without a whole host of questions.
The second thing is even more important. Good listening lets the other person know that you care and that you will work with them to get the best care for them possible.
Good doctors don't need to know everything about every disease and illness -- there are books and specialists to consult for tough situations -- but they need to get the important information to get a patient to the right place to get them better.
I know I can do better, but it is my goal to listen and to hear the messages that my patients share with me.
Because listening is where it starts.
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