Aust Fam Physician
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The medical humanities is a broad area of study and practice encompassing all nontechnical or 'human' aspects of medicine. ⋯ The medical humanities serve three main goals: the study of the human aspects of medicine from within traditional arts disciplines of history, philosophy, sociology and literature; the intersection of medicine and the creative arts; and the training of more insightful and compassionate doctors. This article briefly explores these three goals and discusses their value for the medical community.
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Vitamin D is essential for the normal functioning of a diverse range of metabolic processes, especially bone health. It is widely appreciated that the elderly are at increased risk of vitamin D insufficiency, but it is less well known that people with intellectual disability are also at increased risk. ⋯ The prevalence of intellectual disability in the Australian population has been estimated at just over 1%, implying that most general practitioners will care for several people with intellectual disability. Relatively simple steps are likely to have a significant impact on the health of this vulnerable group of people.
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Medical student numbers in Australia have increased significantly in recent years. A resulting increase in medical graduates is inevitable and desirable. ⋯ This article reviews innovative general practice training schemes for new medical graduates in Australia and overseas. It examines whether Australian general practice can play a role in training the rising numbers of new doctors.