The Art Of Medicine

Love's labors lost: Sexual dysfunction in an adolescent male

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C August 06, 2010

When a teen-age boy disguises his true intention to receive a Viagra prescription, the author reflects on relationships and reading between the lines.

House calls, homebodies: Remembering that you came

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C June 16, 2010

The comfort of a clinician's home visit is immeasurable to patients who wish to live their last days in their own home.

Nine ways to meet and exceed patient expectations

Jennifer Carlquist, PA-C June 04, 2010

The author shares some tips on how to make each patient visit more effective and more productive for both patients and PAs.

Telling it slant: Using poetry  as a venue for healing

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C April 27, 2010

When the author is invited to speak to a local boy scout troop, he uses poetry to find a pathway in to a difficult subject.

Charlotte's Web: Lessons learned from a pig and a spider

Sarah Zarbock, PA-C April 07, 2010

Skilled communication is especially critical during conversations with children and their families about life-threatening and terminal conditions. How can E.B. White's classic children tale make you a better communicator?

A grief observed: A belated bill must finally be paid

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C February 25, 2010

An encounter with a patient last seen 6 years previously reminds the author that there's no escaping grief. It always catches up with us.

Evaluating the patient with a measure of equanimity

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C December 29, 2009

The author reflects that no matter how many times he has examined a child who has been abused, the experience doesn't get any easier.

A jaundiced view: More than meets the clinician's eye

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C October 28, 2009

The author reflects on just how much he has left to learn about how a disease can impact the lives of those who suffer from it.

A Day in the Life: Alexandra Godfrey, BSc, PT

Alexandra Godfrey, BSc, PT October 14, 2009

A day in both the anatomy lab and the hospital teaches this student how a constant awareness of illness, suffering, and loss will be part of being a PA.

Rhyme and reason: Searching for poems in medical practice

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C August 20, 2009

A teen-age patient presents with fatigue and malaise. Her vague symptoms do not lead to a diagnosis, but the poem gleaned from her care is a treasured gift.

Face to face: Glimpsing the man behind the mask

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C June 09, 2009

The author reflects on how deceiving outward appearances can be after watching the interaction between a little girl and her disfigured parent.

Finding the place where both truth and hope reside

Sarah Zarbock, PA-C April 14, 2009

At each point along the path of providing medical care, PAs have an opportunity to recognize and respond to our patient's perceptions, reactions, and concerns and to adjust our care accordingly.

The white coat: Reflections from a second-year PA student

Anthony M. Pellegrino July 01, 2006

The white coat ceremony was conceived in part as a vehicle to help "establish a psychological contract for the practice of medicine" that emphasized compassionate care and proficiency. When the white coat is presented to an entering class, it is a "gift of faith, confidence, and compassion."