2002

Medical education is difficult, and there are no shortcuts. Here are Dr Sutter’s views on medical education and five principles concerning its implementation.

I have been learning medicine for more than 50 years and teaching and practising it for more than 45 years. The thoughts that follow are derived from these experiences.

The quick answer is that we all might, sooner or later. The longer answer is that most of us do not need it much in any 1 year, and that the present system should be replaced with one that meets the need while allowing for personal responsibility and choice.

In September 2002 we published a review article on anal cancer in HIV-positive men (Anal cancer and human papillomavirus in HIV-positive men who have sex with men: A case report and review of the literature. BCMJ 2002;44:374). We would like to clarify the current management of this condition in British Columbia.

Last year, the BCMJ published an opinion piece by P. Goble[1] that made the unfounded accusation that physicians were responsible for a proliferation of disabled parking permits. The BCMJ published my reasoned response[2] to this, but I was not aware until recently that the Journal printed another letter by D. Paterson of the Surrey Access for All Committee[3] which was equally accusatory and unfair to physicians.

Introduction