Always question whether you are wrong. Step back and rediscover the possibilities. Don't be afraid to admit that you are wrong.
This is great philosophy to live by in both your personal and work life.
This is a fascinating 18-minute TED video by Kathryn Schulz, a "wrongologist" and author of "Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error.
Specifically in Medicine, many instances of medical error occur when physicians just can't admit to themselves that they may be wrong in their assumptions. So in the Emergency Department, when I encounter a challenging or perplexing case, I step back and challenge what I assume is true. Maybe my assumptions that the patient is clinically intoxicated or malingering are wrong. Maybe my bedside ultrasound of the gallbladder was falsely normal.
Step back.
Reassess.
Repeat the exam or test, if necessary.
Such questioning has often saved me from going down a completely wrong path.
An especially funny anecdote was the speaker's insight about how one psychologically processes the fact that someone else thinks you are wrong:
- The ignorance assumption
- The idiocy assumption
- The evil assumption
Great post, Michelle. Thought-provoking, not only in regards to our lives as physicians, but also as parents, teachers, and members of society. E. Langmack, MD, Denver, CO
ReplyDeleteThanks, Esther! Yes, I watched it twice!
ReplyDelete"Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error" is an excellent book. I will read it again because there is so much important material in it.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of books that I will read and then see a BookTV segment or other video that tells me all that I need to know in much less time. This is not one of those books. "Being Wrong" is well worth the extra time to understand what Kathryn Schulz is telling us about ourselves.
Thanks @Rogue Medic. I will definitely have to check out the book. Usually the video segment summarizes the big points but it sounds like the book goes way beyond. Thanks for letting me know!
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