Netters & lurkers
I was listening to a respected speaker and fascinated to learn the half
life of a medical fact was 25 years. Which would be about right for
Rootarians and explain the need for the current debate on the mailbase. The
expert went on to say the half life of non medical facts were much less
quoting polymer science as an example.
Podiatrists are pragmatic in their outlook, preferring that which is
familiar, to any new knowledge per se. The common misconception is basic
training will provide for a life long career (which on average would last
25 years). Therefore our primal learning is viewed as paramount and no
substitute for continuing education. This mind set is protectionist and
would preserve all the old standards as evidence of quality benchmarks.
This again may explain some of the heart rending rheteric witnessed in the
ongoing debate.
Superimpose upon the misconception that facts last for 25 years, with the
ethical dilemma described in McDonald & Kidd's paper (recently published
in the Australasian Journal of Podiatric Medicine describing the practice
of treating asymptomatic children with with placebo orthoses), and yet
again we see how vulnerable podiatry really is by not questioning the
very corner stones of our beliefs.
Paradoxically the saving grace of podiatry is, we are not accountable
medics and trade openly within the market place totally devoid of ethical
codes of practice. As such we can do anything we care to and justify the
actions by meeting historical practice, sanctioned by our professional
associations. Which in this Catch 22 arguement, brings me nicely back to
the half shelf life of a medical fact.
What say you?
Thanks for caring
Lord Haw Haw
.oooO
( ) Oooo.
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Definition of a Podiatrist - "An upstart of a bunion scrapper"
Deholm Elliot, Private Function (Handmade Films)
Cameron Kippen e-mail:[log in to unmask]
Department of Podiatry Tel: +61-08-9-266-3675
Curtin University of Technology Fax: +61-08-9-266-3679
Shenton Park, WA 6008
Australia
"And the things best to know are first principles and causes. For through
them and from them all other things may be known..."
Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book I
http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/physio/podiatry/staff/kippen/
Come visit our websites:
http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/physio/podiatry/
http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/physio/podiatry/newsite/
Disclaimer: Any health related information is for educational purposes
only. None of the information is to be construed as medical advice.
Before applying any therapy, you should seek advice from your health care
professional. This information should not be interpreted as a SUBSTITUTE
for physician evaluation or treatment by a health care professional, and is
not intended to provide or confirm a diagnosis.
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