Background Ketamine, once a niche party drug and anaesthetic, has become one of the fastest growing substances of misuse in the UK, with deaths increasing six-fold over the past decade. It is now the fifth most commonly used drug among young people, having surpassed cocaine. Aim To explore the rise in ketamine use among young people, its physical and psychological consequences, and their...
I’ve always been drawn to specialties where medicine can be practised holistically. It’s one of the reasons I applied for GP training and am currently undertaking a diploma in lifestyle medicine. My last post as a second-year GP trainee was a 6-month placement in palliative medicine at a well-known inner London hospice. While on this rotation, I came across patients who suffered with ‘total...
BACKGROUND: Burnout is highly prevalent in GPs and can have a negative influence on their wellbeing, performance, and patient care. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may be an effective intervention to decrease burnout symptoms and increase wellbeing. AIM: To gain insight into the feasibility and effectiveness of MBSR on burnout, empathy, and (work-related) wellbeing in GPs. DESIGN AND...
PERSONHOOD AND HUMAN FREEDOMEvery day we see patients whom we believe matter, because people matter.They often make real choices that we disagree with but we believe them to have dignity, worthy of our respect and care.But what if we are making a mistake?What if we humans are really just machines or ordinary animals, with nothing special about our humanity?What if our job was really no...