End of the line
Some of you who followed my blog know that I have applied to create and register a new subspecialty in medicine: palliative medicine. And this has eventually come to an end after 14 months. And this is how it ended.
Last month I went to ask about the appliacation, which have surely accumulated by then a 10 cm worth of dust. The clerks told me the same old story about putting new specialties on hold and that they are "discussing them" in general. I also learned that no one has looked at the application yet.
Upon asking what things they are discussing, I just want an answer even if it was no, and I will happy with that. And here is what they are rationalizing these days. It is a legal matter, and the doctor sitting there gave me this scenario.
Let's suppose that there is such a registered specialty as palliative medicine. And that there was a person who is dying but taken care of by another general practitioner who is not specialized in palliative medicine (which happens and happened since Hippocrates). Now let's say that a relative decided to sue the doctor, then the judge would say is there a specialty that deals with this situation, and someone would say: yes, palliative medicine. The doctor will be found guilty because he is taking care of things that are not his specialty. Meaning that the existence of a specialty limits what other people can do.
So I said: this means if I am an internist treating someone for high blood pressure, and that guys decided to sue me, then I will be found guilty because I am not a cardiologist or a nephrologist!! And guess what the answer was??? Yes, something like that.
Can anyone here tell me where is the logic in that??? this means if no one else but me have a palliative medicine specialty, then I should be involved with every single person who is dying in Syria or having a end stage disease, and furthermore anyone else who gets involved is interfering with an area that is not his business. And what role do general practioners have anymore??? Killing flies?? "Ohh, you have tonsilitis! You need to go to the ENT doctor. You have some diarrhea, can't do anything for you, go to a gastroenterologist. You have a tiny burn?? sorry, not my field. You need a dermatologist!! You peed yesterday twice instead of once? better see a nephrologist or a urologist.... What is this???
This is not the end. At the same time you are told that as you have a valid license why care?? you can practice however you want.. (I can probably do surgery at the time that the last time I sutured anything it was a pig's skinn in a training course 5 years ago).
Needless to say, they informed me that chances are little they would let it pass. So I requested the withdrawal of the application, and took it back home with me. My dad said he'll try with the minister of health directly, I said good luck to that..
And someone still talks about wanting to move the country forward... not with this mentality... Shame on them
posted by Bassam @ 4:19 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Bassam,
I admire your foresight and attempts at introducing the speciality of palliative medicine to Syria. As a physician in a subscpecialty that deals with a lot of end of life issues, I know how valuable this specialty is. Its importance is only now being appreciated. It is however, counterintuitive to the way many physicians are trained yet it fulfills one of the basic tenets of the Hippocratic oath.
I commend you for what you are trying to do and encourage you to keep pushing.
oh dear God
that is soooo messed up
but i'm sure you have enough patience to handle this dude
and inshallah you will get there
bas the thing is , that you and I already know that logic does not mean anything upon this spot of Earth
Bassam,
I read with great interest about your valiant attempt to get your vitally important speciality to receive the recognition it deserves.. I must say, I admire your enthusiasm and dedication, and wish you all the best of luck.. (Although, at the risk of sounding defeatist, I really do not fancy your chances.. I sincerely hope that I am wrong..)
As an Emergency Physician, I work in a speciality that is equally 'generalist' in its remit.. In fact, here in the UK, we, Emergency Physicians, believe that we are the last of the 'true generalists'.. Our speciality (or its remote equivalent) in Syria is, as I understand, fragmented and tagged on to other specialities (e.g. Orthopaedics, General Medicine, Cardiology, Surgery, etc.) and attempts to have it recognised as a speciality in the sense it is seen in the Developed World have, so far, failed..
All I can say is 'Good Luck'.. God knows you will need it if your attempts were ever to see the light of day..
And as for 'logic'.. well.. sadly, it's the ever elusive mirage in our beloved Country..
Dear Friends,
Thanks for your supporting words. It has been a real migraine to deal with this thing. I can hear my frustration in your voices. Although we, especially those who have been abroad, like to do whatever for the best of this place on earth, but I can only see the voices echoing inside our brain only and reflecting off our skin. But there will be light, at the end of the tunnel :-) hopefully
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