Map of Medicine Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Presenter: Dominic
• Overview of the Map of Medicine
• Importance of understanding broad medical concepts and supporting sciences
• Physical posters available at dosmaps.com

Principles of Medicine

• Medical interventions may cause short-term harm for long-term benefits.
• Key principles guiding medical practice:
  • Non-malfeasance: Do no harm; avoid treatments that may cause more harm than good.
  • Risk-benefit analysis: Weigh risks against benefits to assess treatment options.
  • Double effect: Harmful side effects are permissible if not intended and arise from beneficial actions.
  • Informed consent: Patients must understand their treatment options and consent freely.
  • Autonomy: Patients have the ultimate decision-making power regarding their treatment.
  • Confidentiality: Medical professionals must protect patient privacy.
  • Justice: Equal access to healthcare regardless of background.
  • Proportionality: Risks of medical interventions should be proportionate to benefits.

Medical Interventions

Emergency Care

• Paramedics: First responders providing emergency medical care; manage life-threatening conditions.
• Accident & Emergency (A&E): Immediate care for urgent conditions, staffed 24/7, may refer patients to specialists or ICU.
• ICU: Stabilization and management of critical conditions, includes monitoring and treatment procedures.

Surgical Care

• Surgery: Involves invasive procedures to treat various conditions, from minor to complex surgeries.
• Anaesthesiology: Administers anesthesia and monitors patients during procedures.

Primary Care

• General Practitioners (GPs): First contact for health issues; conduct check-ups, screenings, and manage chronic conditions.
• Pharmacy: Dispenses medications and provides advice on safe use.

Supporting Sciences

Pharmacology

• Study of drugs, their effects, and interactions; includes toxicology, which focuses on hazardous substances.

Diagnostic Methods

• Physical Exam: Assess body and vital signs.
• Laboratory Tests: Analyze fluids for disease detection.
• Imaging Tests: X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans for internal examination.
• Biopsy: Tissue samples for histological examination.

Mental Health

• Psychiatry: Diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions; treatments include therapy and medication.
• Neurology: Focuses on nervous system disorders and treatment.

The Placebo Effect

• Patients may experience improvements from placebos due to belief in treatment efficacy.
• Placebos cannot cure serious conditions but may alleviate symptoms.
• Importance of clinical trials to establish the efficacy of treatments.

Areas of Medical Practice

• Dentistry: Oral health management and treatment.
• Ophthalmology: Eye care and vision correction.
• ENT: Treats ear, nose, throat conditions.
• Preventative Medicine: Health promotion to prevent disease.
• Immunology: Studies immune system function and disorders.
• Epidemiology: Studies disease spread and prevention.
• Infectious Disease: Focuses on infections and their management.
• Pathology: Studies disease-causing changes in the body.

Internal Medicine Specialties

• Cardiology: Heart conditions diagnosis and management.
• Nephrology: Kidney disorders treatment.
• Haematology: Blood disorders analysis and treatment.
• Pulmonology: Lung conditions management.
• Gastroenterology: Digestive system disorders.
• Urology: Urinary tract and male reproductive health.
• Endocrinology: Hormonal disorders and treatments.
• OBGYN: Women's reproductive health.
• Rheumatology: Joint and connective tissue disorders.

Anatomy and Physiology

• Anatomy: Study of body structure; includes gross, histological, and cytological examination.
• Physiology: Study of function; crucial for understanding disease mechanisms.

Genetics and Molecular Biology

• Genetics: Involves hereditary traits and genetic disorders.
• Molecular Biology: Studies molecular mechanisms underlying biological activity.

Pediatric and Geriatric Medicine

• Pediatrics: Care for children and adolescents.
• Geriatrics: Focus on older adults and their health challenges.

Nursing and Rehabilitation

• Nurses support patient care and education.
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Improves function and quality of life for individuals with impairments.

Clinical Trials and Data Analysis

• Clinical Trials: Phases (1-4) for drug testing and evaluation of efficacy.
• Bioinformatics: Analyzes biological data.
• Biostatistics: Applies statistics to medical research and trials.
• Randomised Control Trials: Gold standard for treatment efficacy evaluation.

Conclusion

• Overview of the extensive field of medicine.
• Thanks for watching; check out additional resources for further learning.