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canvasruth34


About

I have a fair number of credentials. I have had some fancy jobs and I think, by most objective measures for a person at my stage of life, I would probably be considered successful. But, I am also, from time to time, a failure. When I say failure, I am talking about big failure as a physician, as a health policy advocate, as a citizen who cares about trying to improve the health of our community. One of the most memorable failures of my career so far took place when I was about three years into practice as a family physician. My patient called and asked if she could come and see me on a one-time basis about some back pain that she had been experiencing. She wanted a prescription for some anti-inflammatories and a referral to a physiotherapist. I saw her over my lunch hour. I took a detailed history. I did a thorough physical examination and determined that she was suffering from what's known as ‘Mechanical lower back pain’.