“Is Med School Worth the Dollars, Stress, and Decade Spent in Training?” I hear this question a lot. Even some of my most capable and well-adjusted friends and fellow medical students have confided to me that in the midst of medical school, they questioned whether this was the right profession for them and whether medical […]

Back Maternal depressions alter the baby’s brain structure APADec 10, 20130 view No rating Maternal depressions alter the baby’s brain structure According to a study from Singapore, if a pregnant woman is depressive, this affects her baby’s brain structure. The children have a life-long increased risk of developing a mental disease, warn scientists in “Biological […]

[AN ANTIPSYCHIATRY PERSPECTIVE] by Don Weitz [*] First do no harm – The Hippocratic Oath I was once tortured for six weeks over 50 years ago — it happened in December 1951 and January 1952 when I was 21. While locked up for 15 months, I was forcibly subjected to a series of 110 sub-coma […]

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)(Spastic Colon) Share This (See also the American Gastroenterological Association’s technical review and medical position statement on irritable bowel syndrome.) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by abdominal discomfort or pain that is accompanied by at least two of the following: relief by defecation, change in frequency of stool, or change in consistency of stool. The […]

“The Free Fetish” © Dr. Rajas Deshpande “I want to treat all patients free all my life, Sir.” I told my most beloved professor on the day that I passed my MD Medicine exams. Always fair to me, my Prof. did not brush away my words as overexcited blabber of a passing student on the […]

Recently a systematic review examined the available literature on acute care treatments for migraine for effectiveness and tolerability, graded each medication’s level of available evidence, and gave recommendations regarding its use.1 The review was limited to double-blind prospective RCTs in adults treated in an emergency department or equivalent acute care setting. Only studies that defined […]

Equalise number of UG, PG medical seats: Devi Shetty Bangalore, Jul 29, 2013, DHNS : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI) have written to the Ministry of Health demanding equalisation of medical seats in undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses. At a press conference on Monday, AHPI treasurer […]

The number of people traveling to Switzerland to commit suicide has doubled since 2009, a new study shows. These” are largely from Germany and the United Kingdom, although they also come from other countries including the United States and Canada, and nearly half suffer from nonfatal neurological conditions, such as paralysis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s […]

Sharing an interesting article below. The bottom line is that the law in India should be proportionate to the crime and not change with the criminal. The version of this article was published on October 15 by Dainik Jagran, India’s largest Hindi-language newspaper under the title “Secular Qabeeley Ke Log”… By Tufail Ahmad Tufail Ahmad […]

By RICHARD GUNDERMAN, MD Last month the American Medical Association wrapped up its annual meeting in Chicago, where it has reached the final stages of modernizing its 167-year-old Code of Medical Ethics, last updated more than 50 years ago. The central role of ethics in medicine is reflected in the fact that, at the AMA’s […]

Provocation by colleagues- professional jousting-frequent cause of malpractice litigation.  A Surgeon had to convert a Lap Cholecystectomy into open surgery because of difficulties. Post-surgery, after a couple of months, recurrence of abdominal pain led to further investigations including CT scan abdomen and a retained abdominal mop was diagnosed. Patient was unwilling to continue treatment with […]

THE NEW ‘QUIT INDIA’ MOVEMENT ? As a law abiding doctor in medical profession for 22 years now, sometimes I really doubt that where exactly is this nation and its healthcare heading to. 1. An honest highly qualified Radiologist who is willing to co-operate with the silly law like PCPNDT is liable to go to […]

Prediction 1: Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the age of Kali. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.1 Prediction 2: In Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man’s good birth, proper behaviour and fine qualities. […]

By JULIE CRESWELLOCT. 17, 2015 Debra Davidson had been treated by Dr. Arvind Gandhi for over three decades and had open-heart surgery in 2011. She now questions the need for the procedure.CreditJoshua Lott for The New York Times MUNSTER, Ind. — On a spring evening last year, Debra Davidson flipped on the television to watch […]

Hippocrates wrote an oath for Physicians circa 350-370 BC. Medicine in those times was considered a holy service meant to heal the sick and not a profession. With time medicine became a profession and monetary benefit for the work done became an accepted norm. Doctors came under normal laws of the land. The application of […]

This is a Chapter from my forthcoming book, Patient Safety – Protect yourself from Medical Errors. Diagnosis plays a central role in medicine, and making the right diagnosis is pivotal in helping the patient to get the right care. Making a diagnosis is a complex exercise, because patients don’t come with labels saying I suffer […]

One day in 1988, a college dropout named Jonathan Stanley was visiting New York City when he became convinced that government agents were closing in on him. He bolted, and for three days and nights raced through the city streets and subway tunnels. His flight ended in a deli, where he climbed a plastic crate […]

Press release: IMA, HCFI & Indian Oil Corporation release guidelines on dengue management  In an attempt to dispel myths and create awareness about the ongoing dengue outbreak in the city, IMA, HCFI and Indian Oil Corporation have released a set of guidelines for the management of the disease.  Simple Dengue Fever: Over ninety-five percent people […]

Release Date: August 31, 2015 Zeiler Mouse After a stroke, mice were tested on their ability to re-learn how to reach through an opening to grab a food pellet. Credit: Boone Snavely Working with mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have added to evidence that a commonly prescribed antidepressant called fluoxetine helps stroke victims improve movement […]

The recreational and medicinal desirability of marijuana (Cannabis sativa), fomented by widespread and generationally shifted social acceptance, has created a perfect storm for the medical community. The emergence of this drug highlights the lack of scientific and clinical understanding of its effects, including those that are health adverse as well as medicinal. This review illustrates […]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is more common among youths involved in the juvenile justice system than the general pediatric population; the estimated rate of TBI in this population is as high as 30%. • The neurobiologic effects of TBI depend on the severity of impact; in general, TBI is characterized by hematomas and diffuse axonal […]

Pregnancy Complications Following Prenatal Exposure to SSRIs or Maternal Psychiatric Disorders: Results From Population-Based National Register Data Heli Malm, M.D., Ph.D., Andre Sourander, M.D., Ph.D., Mika Gissler, Ph.D., David Gyllenberg, M.D., Ph.D.,Susanna Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, Ph.Lic., Ian W. McKeague, Ph.D., Miia Artama, Ph.D., Alan S. Brown, M.D., M.P.H. Received: December 21, 2014 Accepted: May 11, 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.14121575 […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande An old man of 82 was admitted in London ON once with stroke during his “regular” morning lovemaking with his contemporary wife. An accurate history and onset time is necessary so we can use a clot buster injection within 4 hours of onset. He qualified and eventually recovered too. I was […]

What are the details of actual expenditure in training a PG doctor? If the govt wants them to stay and serve, it should pay. Stop this slavery and exploitation of the meritorious! Why are generations of promising intelligent doctors being held responsible for perpetual poverty, illiteracy and a failed govt healthcare system? A state govt. […]

With interview of a renowned Cardiologist. © Dr. Rajas Deshpande Lifehack: a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more efficient way. Are you talented, hardworking, hurried, bitter, artificial, irritable, insecure, obsessive, egoistic, money-minded, dissatisfied and longing for a better life? Yes? Then you must be a […]

A 13 point charter for Indian Doctors Happy Doctor’s Day! © Dr. Rajas Deshpande 1. If we want to survive without being exploited and improve healthcare in India, we must forget all our differences and unite for this cause. We must be able to overcome all personal differences to realize what great strength we are. […]

Humans? © Dr. Rajas Deshpande 2 AM, about 20 years ago. Civil Hospital Casualty Nanded. World asleep. In came rushing a crowded jeep. Panicked passengers carried someone in a blood soaked bedsheet. Huge bearded man in 40s. Heavy bodybuilder. White kurta pajama now blood red. Hacked by many with mashetes (kukri), swords, knives. From head […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Will I ever win? I feel suicidal.” said the 25 year old orphan with Multiple Sclerosis. In a world drooling over the stories of “10 Richest” or “20 Most Beautiful” women, there’s hardly any scope for noticing an orphan girl who fights alone against an incurable disease. VS, a dignified young […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande 1. The sound of restarting heartbeats when resuscitating a patient. 2. Closure after a difficult surgery where only the surgeon knows how he / she has saved a life. 3. A perfect surgery / procedure / stenting without complication. 4. Seeing the beautiful cute face of a healthy newborn. 5. Managing […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “He is angry with us, doctor. He refuses to recognize us, even his parents and children sometimes. It was all my fault, I fought with him so many times over small things. I have said sorry so many times now.. But he is not ready to talk again like he did.. […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “You are in our prayers everyday”.. one of the greatest achievements in becoming a doctor is hearing this sentence. But hey! You all are also there in our prayers every day! Whatever the religion, whichever faith one may come from, whether rich or poor, whether our concepts, philosophies or traditions match […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande The whole city awaited a murder, just like in the book ‘Chronicles of a death foretold’ by Mr. Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was during my internship. I was posted in the civil hospital casualty along with Dr. Anwar and Dr. Junaid, my batchmates. The postings were phenomenal in that we got […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Ready?” As I held the knife, Dr. PTJ said: “Hold the knife like a pen, keep the tip on the skin, and with a controlled but firm pressure downwards, swipe its edge down as you feel the skin resistance. Don’t go deep at all. I am here. Start”. Sweating a little, […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Insecticide Poisoning. Needs intubation. Quick” I shouted and started suction from the frothing mouth of this 27 year old Ayurvedic Practitioner. The casualty servant rushed the primitive version of crash cart that had bare minimum upon it and relied upon the cosmic arrangement of two emergencies at a time, with enough […]

(c) Dr. Rajas Deshpande Time and again, relatives dump the invalid, disabled, psychotic or infectious patients in govt. hospitals, provide false addresses or names, and disappear. By default, the ward staff (mainly nurses, servants / ward boys and resident doctors) look after such patients. We sometimes help by shifting them to wards where there are […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande Recently there was a study saying that Doctor’s Aprons may (not definitely) spread infections. This inference is quite established and proven many years ago, and solutions for this have been discussed at length. One must congratulate that this is proven again in India. However, the news headlines “Ban the Doctors from […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande Alcohol addiction and heavy drinking for decades. Over 5 packets of Gutkha / tobacco per day for many years. Few accidents due to drunken driving, once head injury after a bike accident, without helmet. Poor diet control. Diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, obesity. Rich landowner. Came to OPD with a personal […]

(c) Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Is the patient Dying? Operated? Bleeding severely? Dead?” “No” “Then we will not pay his / her medical bills”. The insurance companies (most) have been giving a hard time to both patients and doctors: no patient’s bill is fully paid even if they have a genuine illness. OPD bills and investigations […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Doc we have come for a second opinion. We think the earlier specialist was wrong.” said the patient’s daughter in law. Complicated case of Parkinsonism. 82 years old. “But the earlier Doctor (a senior bigwig) has in fact written the probable diagnosis here, and started correct line of treatment.” I said. […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Doc I have severe headache since last three days, with nausea, vomiting, and giddiness”. Young girl of 24. Recent break-up from first love, changed job. Completely normal physical examination. Accompanied with a caring new boyfriend. Both work in same software company. Simple, common problem. A few years ago, just a painkiller […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande From primary schools in inaccessible villages to metropolitan Universities, almost all teachers in India suffer poverty, neglect, transfers, non-teaching dumped duties and multiple tasks that the administration forces upon them, immense bullying and insecurity. Living in different hells, these angels still smilingly create heavens for their students. Suffering due to honesty […]

A friend’s wife was once admitted with severe burns, she had caught fire while cooking alone at home. After admitting her at a govt. hospital where I was a student, my devastated friend called me for help. Their whole family was in a wordless shock. The couple had married a year earlier. The doctors had […]

The Last Medicine © Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Do you love someone too much, DucKtoor?” asked this Iraqi student in hesitant words with an awkward face. He was just translating what his countryman had insisted him to ask me. A young lady in late twenties was paralysed below neck, and her husband had risked his life […]

“The Free Fetish” © Dr. Rajas Deshpande “I want to treat all patients free all my life, Sir.” I told my most beloved professor on the day that I passed my MD Medicine exams. Always fair to me, my Prof. did not brush away my words as overexcited blabber of a passing student on the […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande “Anyone Treat Anything” and the “Add-On complaints”. “Doc I have come to you for this severe headache since last five months”. Examined, investigated, prescription given. 5 days later: “Doc there is no relief. This back pain is killing me”. “What about the headache you had?” “Oh that went away the next […]

© Dr. Rajas Deshpande A court recently awarded a compensation of 12 crores to a patient because that’s what she would have earned if alive, as she held a job in the US. While human life is invaluable, there has to be a logic / discipline to such punishments. What compensation was ever awarded to […]

I’ve finally accepted that all doctors are uniformly and completely corrupt. There’s no hiding from this obvious truth. It must be true because the greatest intellectual of the modern era, Bollywood superstar and busybody Aamir Khan, says so. Another great humanitarian Akshay Kumar has confirmed it in a movie called ‘Gabbar Is Back’ which showcases […]

Living wills and advance directives describe your preferences for end-of-life care. These documents speak for you when you’re not able to speak for yourself. By Mayo Clinic Staff Living wills and other advance directives are written, legal instructions regarding your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Advance directives […]

Living wills and advance directives describe your preferences for end-of-life care. These documents speak for you when you’re not able to speak for yourself. By Mayo Clinic Staff Living wills and other advance directives are written, legal instructions regarding your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Advance directives […]

In the last canto of the Bhagavata Purana there is a list of predictions and prophecies about the dark times for the present age of Kali Yuga. The following 15 predictions, written 5,000 years ago by sage Vedavyasa, are amazing because they appear so accurate. Despite the negative tone of these prophecies, there is still […]