Busy at NIH Study section today, I didn't have time to compose anything extensive. (And there is most definitely something that needs a little Respectful Insolence going on; unfortunately, it will have to wait until tomorrow to receive it.) Fortunately, I had some thing in reserver for just such an occasion. From my e-mail several weeks ago (name & location withheld):
Dr. Orac,
My name is D. I am a Chiropractor and a Medical Doctor (IM resident at Medical Center X). I knew something wasn't right about the whole Chiropractic thing about half way through my education but could never quite put my finger on it. I finished school, practiced for a year......and packed up went to med school.
I stumbled across your blog while doing some research into the foolishness of the anti-vaccine crowd. After reading your work and the blogs linked to your site things started clicking for me. My critical thinking skills, interpretation of the medical literature, and overall approach to information has changed for the better. I now understand why I had to leave Chiropractic.So why am I telling you this? I guess I just want to say thank you for the time and effort you put into your blog. Your residents and medical students are very fortunate.
Sincerely,
D. , M.D.
I was flabbergasted to receive this, but I don't think I can take much credit for D's development from a chiropracter to a a physician practicing evidence-based medicine. It sounds as though he was already well on his way long before he ever encountered your humble blogger's meanderings. However, I am flattered to think that my humble blog may have had a role in validating his decision and to help him progress even further.
An even greater coincidence is that this particular resident is doing his internal medicine residency at a hospital that I have visited as part of my duties for my medical school. I've even been to that particular hospital several times. It's even possible that we've been in the same room together or that I've seen him present a case at a conference.
Small world, eh?
In any case, little things like that provide enormous reinforcement. If, through my blogging, I can spread crtical thinking skills and appropriate skepticism to just a few people, it will have all been worth it.
I hope when Dr. D has the time, he will use his intimate knowledge of chiropractic to combat public mis-information, and practice building fraud. One way to do that would be to become an active member of the National Council Against Health Fraud. They can be found through www.quackwatch.org which is the first place I look (outside my library) for information on "alternative" medicine.
Nice one. Congrats to Orac for his great blog and to D. for his courage to leave his (potentially lucrative) vocation and opt for honest work.