Ok, well this will be something new for both of us

"With great power comes great responsibility." For whatever reason, I can't recall if an attending said this to me or if I just got it from a random comic book. Regardless, it's fitting. Even though the world is saturated with news sites and blogs (both medical and really not so medical--I see you Dr. Oooooohnevamind), it is still something special for a licensed physician to scribble down a bunch of thoughts and press the "publish" button. It's terrifying in fact. What if the advice you give is wrong? What if medical knowledge literally changes overnight and you're caught flat-footed, looking ill-informed and rather silly? What if you say something controversial? What if you write something that isn't particularly clear and can be misconstrued under liability of tort law? Well, these are some of the issues that I am grappling with, at 1:23am as I write this inaugural blog post. The Internet is eternal; there are no "take-back-sees", only apologies and rather embarrassing retractions. So I'll go ahead and say a few obvious things from now and lay the ground rules.

In no particular order:

1. You should always, always (ALWAYS if you missed it!) consult your physician before taking medical advice from anyone, including me. Yes, even if the individual is quadruple-boarded in fantastically complicated-sounding medical or surgical subspecialties. The question of, "is this right for me," will always reign supreme, and your primary doctor will help you navigate this question.

2. As flows from the above, I cannot be responsible for changes you or your primary clinician makes regarding your health, even if you cite this site. I practice medicine in Washington, DC. If I cannot physically examine you, then you are not my patient. Yes, this includes unsolicited emails.

3. I am human; I make mistakes. Sure, I'm careful. Sure, I'm well-trained. Sure, I'm quite type-A. Sure, I check, and re-check, and sometimes, drive back to the hospital to check a third time...and yet sometimes, I still make mistakes. I endeavor to learn from medical errors so that they are never repeated. I endeavor to be the best that I can be and to uphold the standards of my profession. And that means apologizing for wrongs, whether they are written, spoken or acted upon. I hope that you can find the grace to forgive me when I say sorry.

4. I'm working on improving my communication skills, especially responding to emails and updating blogs. Please be patient with me.

5. If you or someone you know is currently battling a physical or psychological crisis, please call 911 immediately. If you need someone to talk to for any reason, including for thoughts of suicide, please follow the following instructions:

Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

• Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

• Use the online Lifeline Crisis Chat.

Both are free and confidential. You’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor in your area.

For more information, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

I'm a little shocked that I've taken this step in developing my own little corner of Internet real-estate. But I must give a shout-out to my good friend/sister-from-another-mister, former classmate, and current Washingtonian Dr. Amber Robins for her continued support of me during this project. I am grateful.

Ok I reckon that that's enough for tonight.

Goodnight...world. Lol.

m