Helen Salisbury: The value of curiosity

One of the most inspiring teachers I encountered while learning to be a GP was a gentle man with a bright light in his eyes and excitement bubbling under the surface of almost every utterance. He impressed not through brilliant diagnostic acumen (although I don’t doubt that he had it) nor through his detailed grasp of the latest clinical guidelines (which were mercifully few in those days). The thing that stood out was his endless interest in his patients. He was captivated and intrigued—not just by their illnesses but also by their lives, and he clearly believed that by understanding their thoughts and motivations he could do a better job of helping them improve their health.Some of what we do as doctors can proceed on a superficial, transactional level, including the many transient problems we encounter: fungal rashes; infected, ingrowing toenails; sprained ankles; even acute appendicitis. With these we can…
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