Over the past several decades, the medical profession has lost much of its once-proud nobility, and the practice of medicine has lost much of its fun. These losses profoundly disappoint and sadden me, but writing about them comforts me. In that light, I refer you to the roll of toilet paper that appears opposite the title page of this book. It was a gift to me from 2 senior students at Baylor College of Medicine in 1978. The inscription on that roll reflects my philosophy to a T: think for yourself and organize your thoughts carefully, then convey them clearly, succinctly, emphatically, and honestly. When you do that, you do more than separate the shit from the shinola. You become a leader, and you rise above the norm of mediocrity.
That approach underpins this book-my sixth over all.1-5 The articles assembled here touch on medical education, medical diagnosis, patient care, the medical profession, medical history, medical communication, and a mixture of things that I call "this and that." Because of my age (85 years) and my still active professional career (60+ years), my current opinions and observations are generally viewed as dinosaurian.
You be the judge.