GAPS-Mind the GAP-Common Gaps in Medical and Surgical Practice

A significant number of clinicians spend a limited period of time in general medical or surgical post with little exposure to various medical and surgical conditions. The organs in the body are linked together in one way or another and a dysfunction in one area of the body is likely to affect other areas. The knowledge and skills of clinicians can be varied and based on numerous factors including their medical education and training and their experience and practice. Gaps, therefore, will always be present. Some textbooks give a general overview about a topic and others concentrate on one topic in detail or repeat what is already known. Therefore, some important clinical points can be missed. This book is different in that it highlights selected points that are clinically relevant and commonly missed. The book itself is not intended to be a medical textbook of any type, nor does it cover every topic in detail. It is intended to fill some of the common gaps and highlight areas that the author feels need to be addressed. Presentations are intended to be concise and to the point. The book covers areas with a clinical significance to the majority of clinicians including junior and senior doctors and to the generalist and the specialist in various disciplines. It is also relevant to nurses and medical and nursing students. In writing this book, the author consulted a lot of literature and looked at the personal notes made during his medical and surgical training and practice. No one is perfect and all of us have gaps in our knowledge and skills. It is hoped that this book will fill some of the common gaps and highlight areas where further attention may be needed. The book is written by a doctor with first hand experience in hospital and general practice medicine who has seen the problems and the challenges that many patients, doctors and nurses face. The author was educated and trained in the UK and has clinical experience in medical and surgical specialities, primary care and intensive care medicine. The book is intentionally structured in a way to fill some of the common gaps in medical and surgical practice. The book is not intended to teach you about certain topics or how to fully manage patients with certain diseases. The reader can refer to specialist textbooks if needed. The author assumes that the reader has some basic medical knowledge. The material in this book will stimulate your thinking, alert you to the potential gaps that could be fallen into and hopefully, cover these gaps and, ultimately, improve patient safety. In all likelihood, at some point in your career, you will need to deal with presentations similar to the ones discussed in this book regardless of what speciality you are in. Clinicians who are experts in one area of medicine need also to appreciate the severity of other conditions as patients under their care may also present with these conditions. In this situation, having the basic medical knowledge and skills is essential in dealing with such presentations or, at least, appreciating the need for seeking specialist input. You need to be aware of the material presented in this book so that you can refer patients to the right specialist if needed, answer any relevant basic questions that the specialist might ask, and confidently deal with the initial presentation until you get more senior or specialist input if it proves necessary. The book initially covers some key points when dealing with the sick patient. It then discusses important areas in the history taking, examination, investigations, and patient management. This is followed by highlighting the common gaps in medical and surgical practice in various specialities. The book then highlights some important points in the consultation and then concludes with the Common Sense section. The chapters have been reviewed by experts in relevant fields. The book is linked to a unique medical system (in development-patent number GB 2017850.5).