---

I have gone through the views expressed by our members.I would like to express a few points...

We are deeply concerned about emergency medicine remaining as a neglected part of clinical medicine.Though from many corners it has been proposed to consider it as a separate speciality there are some things to be noted-for example,when a polytrauma patient comes,the emergency physician does the resuscitation.

BUT the same patient will need to be seen by the orthopaedic and general surgeons,plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons as the situation demands.

Coming to my point,isn't the above situation an example of the probable inadequacy of an emergency physician?We have different establihed specialities like medicine,ophthal,dermat,gastro etc where the doctor is trained to treat any illness coming under his specialization.But in emergency,it is not the case.

MOST of the cases require a multi-disciplinary approach which surely limits what an ER physician can do.The loss of follow-up of the patient is another major drawback.I feel these are the reasons why emergency medicine still is not popular as a different speciality...as one of my friends put it,is it a "jack of all trades and master of none"speciality?I really don't know.

Having worked in an excellent emergency dept since some time,I personally feel that the greatest job in any hospital are done by emergency room doctors.What can be more satisfying than saving a life which would have been lost if not for you?I look forward for the valuable comments of other members of this group.
Bobby

---

2 years back, I had thought about the same question and I had worked in a govt hospital, a private superspecialty hospital and an independent emergency dept.

I wrote a story about how patients are managed in an ordinary casualty where there is no emergency medicine as well as in an emergency dept by emergency physicians.

It is a bit long, but I think you should read it.

[url]http://www.emergencymedicine.in/Editorial2.htm[/url]

.

---

Looking at some of the posts, it appears that there is a general feeling of 'inadequacy' as to what one can do or not... It is quiet clear from the responses that one wants to gain expertise in other surgical specialties so as to function in its own right....(see the thread 'are we being partial....' )

So what competencies would people expect from an ideal 'EM doctor'? What would be it's implications on other specialties? Would these be achievable?

Very much open to the house....

---

Hi Frenz,
Terming inquisitiveness and a desire to be versatile as "inadequacy" is somethin very disheartening to know.And let me ask u Why Emergency Medicine Why not Emergency Medicine and Surgery ?
Personally, i feel EM is like a galaxy as in you feel u have reached a destination but infact the journey starts from there.
People have all the right to be content frm few basic guidelines set and make the world believe {which already does} that ER docs are better off preparing a platter for the other specialties as mentioned very clearly by the author of the thread.

Dr.Shahab

---

I donot think we should look at other specialties as our enemies. Our aim should be to develop EM as a specialty on its own right. There are a whole range of skill sets and competencies that could be developed as part of the curriculum.

At the end of the day, patient care, is all about team-work. One needs to know his role in the team. The eventual outcome should be a 'happy and healthy patient'. This shouldn't be shadowed by an individuals whims and fancies of being able to do everything.

(Though, ideally, the role of an EM physician should be clearly defined, very often this is just a mere blur.)

Going back to Bobby Cherian's example of 'polytrauma', I'd probably see myself as 'Jean Todt'. His strengths lie in managing his team. He can not take Raikkonen's place. Nor can he take the place of his 'lollipop' man. The latter two (as are the other members in Ferrari) are well trained in doing their respective jobs to near perfection only after years of practice. It is the entire outfit, as one single unit that makes a winning team!!! A mistake by any one member affects the overall result. Yes, sadly only one or two single individuals would be seen as heroes eventually!!!

Whether Emergency Medicine is being neglected or not is yet to be known. Mind you it is still early days.... Let us see what the future beholds.