Author Archives: Dr Justin Coleman

Unknown's avatar

About Dr Justin Coleman

Justin is a GP in Brisbane and educates GP Supervisors for the RACGP. He edits Australia's most used medical textbook, and is a medical writer and educator. Further details at https://drjustincoleman.com/

Co-payments – handy reminders of our mortality

Australian Doctor asked me today if they could publish my thoughts on the $7 co-payment. I have dark thoughts. Apologies in advance to my medical specialist friends. It’s not your fault.   Imagine yourself in charge of Australia’s health budget – heaven … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Ask yourself four diet questions. Or I will.

I just don’t have the appetite for diets. Or, more specifically, for taking a diet history. The sort of thing my health service’s dietitian does ten times daily—bless her, and all her thin colleagues. Honestly, if the patient’s answer to … Continue reading

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

What’s not to love about skin rashes?

Luckily beauty is only skin deep, because this rash was a beauty. Classic red rings, each containing another red circle centrally—named ‘target’ lesions after the chain store logo. “Erythema multiforme!” I announced with an Ancient Greek twang. I guess the … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The secret that doctors hate revealing!!

  Warning: Reading this column will change your life. I reveal secrets which other doctors won’t tell you. They will hate me for it, because you need never pay for their services again. I have recently given up doctoring, with … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Running man

I am a jogger. More specifically, I am a jogger this week. Even an actual runner, if you don’t count the uphill and flat bits. It’s been a fast-moving week. Jogging is a fundamentally boring pastime; the only ones who … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Top list of wasteful procedures in the ED and General Practice

  Yesterday, JAMA published a list of  tests and treatments ordered in the Emergency Department which a group of 283 Emergency clinicians considered the most wasteful. Because accessing the list requires a log-in (which is a bit of a waste!) I have copied it here. … Continue reading

Posted in Naked Doctor | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

No time for exercise? Think again!

THIS message is for adults who always seem too busy to exercise. The mum who sits at work all week, then sits in the car delivering children to events on the weekend. The middle-aged man who drives to the local shop because he’s in a hurry and the walk … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

La Trobe Uni climbs into bed with Swisse; Prof Harvey climbs out.

If Victoria’s La Trobe University was in any doubt that accepting $15 million from vitamin manufacturer Swisse Wellness would cause controversy, yesterday’s resignation of Ken Harvey, the University’s most prominent public health academic, clarified the issue. The $30 million Complementary Medicines … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Tweeting for health professionals

This blog post is a running sheet for a workshop I’m delivering in Inala today, modified from a previous post. Feel free to ignore it if you’re not at the workshop! It aims to encourage health professionals begin using Twitter as an … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

My patients’ New Year’s wish list

I’M STARTING 2014 with a wish list and some empathy. Not my own wish list — my patients’. That’s where the empathy comes in. I’m imagining what changes they would wish upon me, by putting myself in their shoes. Actually, … Continue reading

Posted in medical writing | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments