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Consultation Models in General Practice
The consultation is the cornerstone of general practice and is a vital part of the doctor-patient relationship. Pendleton described the consultation as ‘the central act of medicine’, which ‘deserves to be understood’. It remains an integral part of most medical school...
Cell Structure and Function Part 2 – The Cell Membrane
In Part 1 of our ‘Cell Structure and Function’ series we learnt about basic cell structure and the organelles. We now move on to the cell membrane and membrane transport. The cell membrane, also called the plasma membrane, physically separates the inside of the cell...
Cell Structure and Function Part 1 – The Organelles
The cell is the smallest living thing in the human organism, it is the functional and structural unit of all living things and all living structures in the human body are made of cells. There are a huge variety of different types of cells in the human body, which...
Overview of the Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a division of the peripheral nervous system that supplies smooth muscle and glands. It acts to regulate numerous body processes, such as blood pressure and respiratory rate, acting as the effector component of homeostasis. The...
Digital Clubbing
Digital clubbing is one of the oldest recognised signs in medicine, first formally documented by Hippocrates nearly 2500 years ago. For this reason, it is also known as "Hippocratic fingers". It is an important clinical sign that can assist in the diagnosis of a...
Triangles of the Neck Part 2 – The Posterior Triangle
The triangles of the neck are an extremely common anatomy exam topic. In the first article, we covered the important knowledge requirements of the anterior triangle of the neck. In this second article, we focus on the posterior triangle of the nek. The...
Triangles of the Neck Part 1 – The Anterior Triangle
The triangles of the neck are an extremely common anatomy exam topic. In this first of two articles, we will cover the important knowledge requirements of the anterior triangle of the neck. The sternocleidomastoid muscle is the main muscular landmark of the neck and...
Learning Online
“When I went to medical school, the term ‘digital’ applied only to rectal exams.” – Eric Topol An embarrassment of riches I can clearly remember a time when I had to catch a bus to go to the medical school library to find the resources that I needed to prepare...
Understanding Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material (the vaccine) to stimulate an individual’s immune system to develop adaptive immunity to a particular pathogen. Herd immunity is a type of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a...
How to Differentiate Bell’s Palsy from Stroke
Being able to differentiate Bell’s palsy from stroke is an essential skill for all front-line clinicians. Bell’s palsy, which is also sometimes referred to as idiopathic facial paralysis, and ischaemic stroke are the first and second most common causes of acute facial...
