Clin Med
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Progress in complex disorders requires clear thinking facilitated by clear language. Clinicians and scientists occasionally become captive to inaccurate language or meaningless terminology and this generates lazy thinking and impedes progress. ⋯ Among other FGIDs, the situation is more serious; imprecision and lack of consistency in terminology continue to mar progress. This article reviews the chequered history of terminology in this area and concludes that removing the obfuscation generated by poor usage of language should be the first step towards understanding the pathogenesis and improving the management of these, and similar, disorders.
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The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is to host the European School of Internal Medicine for two years from 2009-10. This affords a unique opportunity for specialist registrars to exchange ideas about professional development and training and to make contacts with young internists from across Europe. Such links should prove useful for future RCP initiatives in European medicine.
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The potential for the holder of a senior academic post to influence the medical world is usually enshrined in their job description. Even though Oxford University failed to provide one, this account of 25 years of undirected activity suggests that such posts can influence events, albeit to a limited extent and not always in the expected direction.