Psychology Geek
RSSHelping doctors put empathy to good use - Health & wellness - The Boston Globe
Q. It seems like everyone complains about the lack of understanding in doctors and other medical personnel.
A. Contemporary physicians are facing tremendous pressures in terms of the number of patients they’re expected to see, the short amount of time in which they have to see them, the complexity of the health problems, and the increasingly burdensome documentation requirements. I firmly believe that empathy is challenged and to some extent driven down by many of the factors that are beleaguering health care today.
Q. Do we actually drum empathy out of people as we teach them to be doctors?
A. There are many studies that have documented this decline [in empathy] throughout medical training. It seems to start in the third year of medical training, and it persists during residency. Whereas it used to bounce back after the rigors of training were over, now that the pressures just continue, and continue to mount, at least 60 percent of practicing physicians are showing signs of burnout today.
Q. And teaching doctors empathy helps counteract physician burnout?
A. Some doctors after getting empathy training come back and say I feel my job is really rewarding again. By connecting with people more fully, I feel like I want to go to work again.
New Study: Integrating the PDM, ICD and DSM
New Study: Integrating the PDM, ICD and DSM Research on the Psychodiagnostic Chart An Integration of the PDM, ICD and DSM
Goal: To test the utility of a clinician rating system that integrates the PDM, ICD and DSM. What is The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual?
Participants: Open to only to Mental Health Professionals with experience in any of the psychodiagnostic systems (DSM, ICD, PDM).
![neurolove:
Who doesn’t love brainbow?
For people who don’t know, brainbow is a type of stain created by a researcher at Harvard. Essentially, differing amounts of flourescent proteins in every single cell mean that each neuron is a different color. This means it is much easier to follow a single neuron along the axon and dendrites and see where it connects to, etc. since all the surrounding cells are different colors. I just love the way it looks!
[Image Source]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4fpwpEZlr1qb6etto1_500.jpg)
Who doesn’t love brainbow?
For people who don’t know, brainbow is a type of stain created by a researcher at Harvard. Essentially, differing amounts of flourescent proteins in every single cell mean that each neuron is a different color. This means it is much easier to follow a single neuron along the axon and dendrites and see where it connects to, etc. since all the surrounding cells are different colors. I just love the way it looks!
[Image Source]
‘We Didn’t Start the Scanner’ (film and music by Jake Fairnie & Anna Remington) (by cubistular)
“A History of Cognitive Neuroscience in 3 minutes…” - a music video. (youtube.com)
The Leonard Lopate Show: Please Explain: Anxiety and Benzodiazepenes - WNYC
The host in this was kind of a jerk and didn’t have a good understanding of what his guest’s areas’ of expertise were (e.g. A journalist and Psychologist may not be the best guests if your interest is in psychopharm nuances) but there were some good moments in the segment that make it worth a listen. Especially if you are interested in differences between different types of Benzodiazepenes.
Top 7 Ways Blogging Changes My Consciousness: Meta-Blog 1 « Psyche's Circuitry
A research psychologist, new to blogging, discusses her new experience of blogging in relation to her thoughts
Explore The Wellcome Collection’s 360-Degree Brain
This interactive tool (go check it out, it spins and zooms and enfoldulates on their website) is like having a brain in a jar on your shelf to study for anatomy class, but much less creepy and less likely to lead to a misunderstood monster roaming the streets of the local village and terrorizing the dreams of young people everywhere.
(ᔥWellcome Collection)
Also: Explore the brain’s beautiful connectome at Cocktail Party Physics!
Social media are an integral part of the social landscape of teens today. This seems to have happened overnight, and now we are faced with some difficult questions: What does it mean if teens spend more time interacting via social media and less time interacting face to face? Should we be concerned that teens post suicidal thoughts on blogs rather than talking directly to parents and friends – or just feel relieved that they are telling someone? Is there a problem with the fact that, for many teens, it seems ok to break up a romantic relationship over text?
The short answer to these types of questions is: We have no idea. Scientists know next to nothing. Policy makers are shooting in the dark. Pundits and talking heads and techno-sages have a lot to say, but no basis upon which to draw conclusions. Yet these questions are incredibly important given the growing ubiquity of social media.
- This is Your Brain on Facebook: Social Media and Teens’ Emotional Health « Psyche’s Circuitry
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