I regard observation as a key skill needed during a patient examination. Noticing the unnoticed does not happen all at once. During my childhood, I had motion sickness whenever I read or watched something on phone while travelling. So I always noticed what people in the roadside, nature changing frame by frame, how people interact with each other, dogs etc. Whenever I travel, I observe what all is going around me and this indeed helped me during patient examination too. It felt like I am in a Sherlock Holme’s movie. Every situation has its own rhythm- the action, the reaction, the outcome. A whole story unfolding silently.
Sometimes, the smallest observations give the biggest realizations*.* Patterns, thoughts, ideas all born while observing. When you really observe, you see movement in stillness.
Reality… as it is.
And then comes self-observation. Noticing your thoughts, emotions, reactions.
That’s where growth begins. Maybe we don’t need to do more, just observe and understand better.
Observing is my favourite hobby. Any hobbies that helped you get through your medical journey?
Observation is an art. Microlearning from these observations could be a great way to improve the quality of life. They could occur while you are traveling, learning, and watching. Our brain, being a complex structure, is able to process them even without active learning.
Just voraciously reading!Not only helped me sail through some of the most emotionally uncertain times but also made me a better physician(because not all you read goes to waste!).Great read.
This is beautifully written. It shows how a simple childhood coping mechanism transformed into a powerful clinical skill. Observation truly is at the heart of good medicine.
As a dentist, this really resonates with me. The art of observing is central to clinical practice, from noticing subtle oral changes to understanding patient behavior and concerns. Strong observation skills truly enhance diagnosis, treatment planning, and overall patient care.
We are innately curious as children, but as we age, we lose that curiosity about the world.
The ability to stay curious and ask questions without any fear of judgment is rare.
When we stay curious, we observe, we interact, we live.