A collection of thought-provoking, readable and illuminating papers on issues affecting modern medicine (and ultimately us as consumers), from medical education, through politics, to clinical practice and offering opinion on areas of controversy, such as gender, Medicare, aging doctors, disruptive colleagues, drugs advertising, research and ethics.

Medical Musings is a thought-provoking collection of writings which considers a wide range of critical issues facing medical doctors - and their clients. Robert T Sataloff, a prolific author, professional singer, and a leader in his field, considers a wide range of critical themes - from politics and the need for doctors' involvement, through education, employment, and clinical practice issues, to medical insurance. In his own words, the book is intended to 'provide perspectives on education, publication, healthcare delivery, and other topics relevant to leadership in medicine, and more importantly to inspire thought and provoke debate'. This is not just a book for MDs; every one of us is, or will be affected by the issues addressed here, whether politician, educator, journalist, lobbyist, insurer, or healthcare consumer.

With thirty-five years of clinical experience as a Canadian family physician and a master's degree in bioethics, Barry explores the practice of medicine like a scientist studying a new-found species: Homo sapiens. Using countless anonymized clinical stories, he leads the reader through an exploration not only of the health care system but the human condition as well. Going right back to the big bang, he takes the reader on a search for how we got here, who we are now and where we might be heading as human beings attempting to care for one another in a complex world. Be warned: Barry breaks down a lot of barriers in his investigation of what makes us tick. Expect to be surprised, entertained, and challenged. And be prepared for outside-the-box thinking, where nothing is out of bounds, not even death. All profits of this book are being donated to individuals needing financial assistance to attend addiction rehabilitation facilities.

This four-part collection of poems chronicles a tumultuous and intense phase in my life. Dashed into the throes of life its ecstasies and its agonies and a close witness (in my work as a medical doctor) to the human condition, I found solace in expressing the restless inferno raging within my psyche. The poems were written as they arrived, sometimes after ward-rounds and frequently on public transport. Occasionally, they would arrive in the shower, forcing me to leap out and rapidly pen whatever words did flash upon that inward eye, before they vanished into nothingness. I wrote on inspiration and the objects of my reflection always proved a most wonderful muse.