Canadian family physician Médecin de famille canadien
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Diagnosing streptococcal sore throat in adults: randomized controlled trial of in-office aids.
To determine whether use of clinical decision rules or rapid streptococcal antigen detection tests (alone or in combination) can lower the number of unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics for adults with acute sore throats. ⋯ Evidence-based clinical decision rules alone do not change family doctors' prescribing behaviour. Use of rapid antigen tests might allow physicians to persuade patients that negative results (and hence, viral infection) mean antibiotic therapy is not required.
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Fewer medical students are choosing careers in family medicine across Canada. One way to cultivate student interest is through creation of family medicine interest groups. Students, residents, community-based family physicians, and academic faculty can all contribute to the success of such groups. ⋯ One mechanism to increase interest in primary care as a career is to initiate and foster a family medicine interest group that links students with family physicians.
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Recently, some of my patients were instructed not to breastfeed for 24 to 48 hours after magnetic resonance imaging scans. Is this based on scientific evidence? ⋯ No. On the contrary, evidence indicates unequivocally that the contrast media used for both magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans are excreted into breast milk in such small quantities that there is no concern at all for nursing babies.