Osler: Inspirations from a Great Physician

This book is truly a treasure trove of inspiration.Having read a remarkable biography of William Osler, William Osler: A Life in Medicine by Michael Bliss, late last year, the author seemed to capture the almost magical charisma that Osler possessed according to the hundreds of testimonies from colleagues, students and friends.This biography is an inspiration, and it is without doubt that William Osler is the most influential and famous physician of the early twentieth century. But what was it about the man and his habits that inspired so many other famous physicians and scholars including his first biographer, Dr. Harvey Cushing, the icon and international pioneer of brain surgery? (see another Bliss biography on the great brain surgeon, Harvey Cushing: A Life in Surgery) Osler left only one scholarly text, THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE., however, for its time, the text became the most important reference for physicians across the world. (Currently a collectors piece) This terrifically constructed text by physician Charles S. Bryan is a labour of gratitude to its subject, gleaning from Osler's many speeches, diaries, biographies and the thousands of articles which the old doctor published, to pass on William Osler's successful habits, attitude of mind where,"His unique blend of clinical competence, easy familiarity with the liberal arts, energy, charisma, and idealism made him something of a symbol of humanism in medicine for physicians and laypersons alike."Dr. Bryan has organized these inspirations under specific headings, for example:Manage Time WellFind a CallingFind MentorsCare CarefullyLearn and TeachFor me, really, the most inspiring chapters are Communicate "Secrets of the Heart" and Learn and Teach "Driving Plato's Horses". It is in these chapters that Osler emphasised the importance of learning to write well, learning to speak well and that necessary skill for the physician, learning to listen.William Osler, similar to other men in history of mammoth achievement, managed his time well, sometimes to the minute. Osler called this habit "day-time-compartments", flawless organization and the love of work.This book is a "personal development" text like no other, practical skills to learn and the creation of positive habits that can lead to a more meaningful, productive and successful life.Highly recommended for students of the medicos and anyone wanting to learn the values and successful habits of one of the great physicians of the twentieth century.

By "when" I mean when I was a resident in internal medicine. However, that was before Dr. Bryan wrote the book. Every medical student should know about William Osler and probably a few other professional forefathers/mothers as well. Osler, through his writing, is an ongoing source of inspiration and advice for the trying times in a physician's life. There are many Osler biographies and summaries out there, but what Bryan does with this (1997) book is put Osler and his wide-ranging advice in a contemporary context, with just enough biography to help the reader understand where Osler was coming from. For example, Osler did not use the term "mentoring," now a contemporary turn of phrase, but Bryan uses it to frame Osler's experience working with older teachers. As we all know, this experience is seldom perfect, which was Osler's experience as well. However, Osler made the most of his mentoring opportunities and became the archetypal mentor himself. Bryan's use of Osler's experience to illustrate the challenges and rewards of mentoring is spot on. This book, like the story of William Osler, deserves a long life.

For those of you who have read the various biographies of William Osler this book will add to your appreciation of the character of Dr Osler and what enabled him to be so transformative as to be called the father of modern medicine. He claimed no special intellect but he loved medicine and had a tremendous ability to focus on what needed to be accomplished on any given day, without wasting any time on worries about what may come tomorrow or what gas passed. The author shows how Oslers ability to compartmentalize his day embodied the same techniques that today's modern time gerus espouse.