Words of truth

Who is this writer called Dr. Ursus? I have been stopped in my tracks by the “Query” essays now appearing in CMAJ's prime location (the last page, which is, of course, the first page) and am compelled to read in entirety his words of truth.

The “stupid family doctor” essay1 of early February is now on the list of mandatory reading for final-year family medicine residents rotating through our clinic. This cogent one-pager restores some of the self-esteem and confidence bleached out of family physicians by tertiary care institutions. And his more recent remarks about applying evidence-based medicine to day-to-day general practice2 remind us that real patients have agendas of their own, most often quite different from the physician's. One must first acknowledge and respond to the patient's needs — otherwise, unrecognized, they are pretty well guaranteed to hijack the best intentions of the evidence-based practitioner.

Let us hear more from Dr. Ursus.

Bob Heyes Family Doctor (and proud of it) Haliburton, Ont.