No doctor can keep up on all the new developments in his or her field. McCall advises that you take the time to learn about every condition you're diagnosed with. He alludes to a recent example of a patient who went to a specialist for an ulcer problem. The doctor had never heard about an antibiotic therapy that works wonders. The patient ended up seeing another doctor who did, and now his ulcers are gone.
Same theory holds true for prescription drugs.
When your doctor prescribes one, read about it or look it up on the Internet, McCall suggests. I know this sounds like a lot of work. The key words here are residents and interns. They are recent medical school grads engaged in postgraduate training. Mass. General, Children's, Brigham and Women's, Beth Israel, and so on.