Focus on Autism. Temple Grandin's latest book, Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships, won the Foreword Book of the Year Award. Grandin overcame the autism of her childhood (when it was frequently not diagnosed, having been formally identified in 1943) to offer her insights into the syndrome "from the inside"--insights that she shares as an author and speaker. Her website describes the new book: "...The book offers insight into the unwritten social rules of our society, as well as the way someone with autism interprets or misinterprets those critical rules. Dr. Grandin had no speech until she was 3-1/2 to 4 years old. She was greatly helped with many hours of therapy to learn speech and social skills. Many brilliant and creative people have a mild form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome. These people invented the internet. Albert Einstein would be labeled autistic today." (See http://www.templegrandin.com/) Dr. Grandin is a veterinarian who is also famous for her innovative work in changing the way large animals are handled.

Waiting for P4? A six-year project called "Preparing the Personal Physician for Practice" (nicknamed P4) emerged from collaboration among the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, and TransforMED (a practice redesign initiative of the American Academy of Family Physicians). The project will evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of training innovations adopted by fourteen chosen residencies across the US, announced in February 2007. These innovations are applied to "prepare physicians to embrace new technologies and implement the characteristics of a personal medical home." Reports will follow the project. See the full story and a list of participating residencies at http://www.transformed.com//p4.cfm 

What to do on call? Residents and other docs are blogging like crazy, offering valuable information on life and practice, as well as insights into their emotional and philosophic sides. In Tales from the Emergency Room and More at http://drcouz.blogspot.com/, Couz talks candidly about her pregnancy, Visa debt, managing home and life with her paramedic husband's 12-hr shifts, emotional struggles, and "how emergentologists...are seen as the cowboys of medicine." Is it worth reading? Definitely. But wait, there's more! She also lists a dozen medical blogs that will boggle your mind! Don't miss Midwife with a Knife at http://mwwak.blogspot.com/ and...

Castaway Resident

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