The following is an Ignite talk on the future of the physician delivered at Tim O'Reilly's 2012 Health Foo - Microsoft Research Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts. As I see technology advancing around me, I think about the future of the physician. Where are we going to fit in? Will we become obsolete? Are we headed for a medical singularity? The good news for ... Continue Reading about Will the Future Need Doctors?
Processed Doctors
Recently I was preparing to give a talk related to the future of medicine. With my speaker information I decided to break ranks a bit and submit a photo that was altered to offer a slightly technochic look. I thought it was in line with the subject matter of processed doctors and set the tone for the presentation. “We’d really like a more traditional image...like ... Continue Reading about Processed Doctors
Physician Thought Leaders in the Digital Age
I was on a panel recently where it was asked, 'What will become of the physician thought leader in the digital age.' It's an interesting question because it draws on what constitutes influence in the modern medical world. How do we determine who we listen to and how will digital communication change that? It used to be that influence in medicine was determined by ... Continue Reading about Physician Thought Leaders in the Digital Age
Medical Students, Digital Footprint, and the Scorched Earth Policy
I was surprised to learn that some senior medical students adopt a scorched earth policy when it comes to their digital footprint. As residency interviews loom on the horizon, concern over the impact of digital indiscretions become real. Facebook pages are leveled, blogs dismantled. I began thinking about this after reading Texas Tech medical student Danielle ... Continue Reading about Medical Students, Digital Footprint, and the Scorched Earth Policy
How Important are Medical Meetings?
This post by Wes Fisher is worth a peek. In his description of this year’s American College of Cardiology meeting he captures the changing face of medicine through the realities of medical meetings. Personally I’ve wondered if there's a future in bringing doctors across the country once a year to sit in a dark room so they can listen to the friend of a society ... Continue Reading about How Important are Medical Meetings?
Rejuvenile Physicians
A couple of years back I read an interesting book called Rejuvenile. It concerns the emerging culture of adults who like to do kid things - Lego's, paintball, etc. After reading The Sorcerers and Their Apprentices this summer I learned that the MIT Media Lab has a group, Lifelong Kindergarten, that tries to recreate the thinking and curiosity of kindergarten-aged ... Continue Reading about Rejuvenile Physicians