Tail Lights

Abstract

Happy belated New Year 2026 and Chinese New Year of the Horse! I hope you are all comfortably settled into the hum of the academic year and enjoying the brightening days as we look forward to the arrival of Spring. I shall attempt to “TikTok”-esque this post.

#1:“Study the Science of Art. Study the Art of Science.

Develop your senses – especially learn how to see.

Realise that everything connects to everything else. ”

A popular modern interpretation,

Leonardo da Vinci

A self-help entrepreneur’s post came onto my timeline. I was struck that while the post’s primary aim was to generate income (he is a multi-million dollars “solopreneur”) – a lot of what he wrote (10 min read) is very applicable to the study and practice of Medicine! Maybe for some people – even a philosophical take on life.

Effective learning to be a doctor requires more than just attending 1 lecture or reading the companion chapter in Kumar and Clark once. Let me know your thoughts! https://www.x.com/thedankoe/status/2010042119121957316?s=46&t=tG6xqr1eDEm7HBu-BLOiA)

#2: “To study the phenomenon of disease without books

Is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients

Is not to go to sea at all. ”

“Medicine is learned by the bedside and not in the classroom. ”

Sir William Osler, “Father of Modern Medicine”

Effective learning for a doctor is also about experience - time in service. What we call “authentic, experiential learning”. (Which is different to the competency-based model). At this early stage in your career – a work around is speaking to experienced doctors, learn from their experiences.

Failing that– read about it. I was struck this month by Dr David Triska’s the harrowing blogs of his experiences as a GP and companion to a relative in hospital (“The Long Silent Scream into the NHS”). Check it out and let me know what you think?

https://davetriska.substack.com

#3: “A diagnosis can be a burden as well as a benefit. ” Trisha Greenhalgh, GP

“The earlier we diagnose, the more we risk turning healthy people into patients. ” Margaret McCartney. GP

“The challenge is not simply detecting abnormalities but knowing which ones

matter. ” Richard Gunderman, Radiologist

In the modern age of resource constraints, it feels very much like imaging is the backstop. The least dangerous thing to do in a less-than-ideal scenario – “let’s just do a scan to be sure”-ism. Yet, the Radiology work force is extremely short – with just under 389 in Scotland when 863 is needed by the Government’s calculation1,2 This leads inevitably to outsourcing reporting to teleradiology companies, large numbers of “incidental findings” (unrelated to why the scan was being performed), with implications on patients worry and harms from follow up investigations and procedures as well as cost to society. The conundrum is discussed in greater detail by prominent Radiology leaders here: https://shorturl.at/1uHBB. Read it and let me know your thoughts. (Ironically – all this contributes towards the GDP... go figure).

Remember to balance work with life. Mark the words of Eric Bane (Dr Sloan, Grey’s Anatomy) in his message to his children before his death from ALS. So send in your art or photographs to the Surgo Vision competition or turn your student audits into Visual Abstracts! Top 5 submitted get published, win some money AND compete at the end of the year for a further £100 top prize.

Until the next Tail Lights, enjoy the term and good luck with exams!

References:

1. Diagnostic Imaging Workforce Plan for NHS Scotland May 2023 2 [Internet]. Available from: https://www.radiology.scot.nhs.uk/wp- content/uploads/2023/06/Diagnostic- Imaging-Workforce-Plan-for-NHS Scotland-v1.0.pdf

2. [Internet]. Parliament.scot. The Scottish Parliament; 2026 [cited 2026 Mar 9]. Available from: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and- committees/questions-and-answers/question?ref=S6W-38475