On Rounds: 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls

Book excerpt: Clinical judgment is a critical aspect – perhaps the most critical aspect – of efficient, accurate, and cost-effective patient care. Focusing on essential clinical skills, On Rounds: 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls helps clinicians in training and in practice to identify the critical findings that will simplify complex clinical problems and lead to an accurate diagnosis. One thousand easy-to-remember clinical aphorisms, or “pearls,” help you distinguish the important findings from the incidental, pointing out the distinctive features amidst the mass of data that is accumulated in the evaluation of a sick patient, and leading to the development of mature clinical judgment. Go “on rounds” with one of the most respected educators in internal medicine and learn from his nearly 50 years of clinical experience. Focus on the areas that are often a source of confusion for students, trainees, and even seasoned practitioners. Learn each pearl in a relevant clinical context, with tables, clinical images, and physiology information, where appropriate. Recognize “black pearls:” statements that, although widely believed, are demonstrably false. Improve your clinical judgment skills whether you’re a resident or an experienced clinician. Carry these pocket-sized pearls with you for quick reference.