Observe, record, tabulate, communicate. Use your five senses. Learn to see, learn to hear, learn to feel, learn to smell, and know that by practice alone you can become expert.
William OslerRead
Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Medicine combines scientific knowledge with the uncertainty of human health and the probabilistic nature of treatments.
William Osler's quote reflects the dual nature of medicine as both a science and an art. It emphasizes that while medicine is grounded in scientific evidence and empirical data, the practice of medicine involves navigating uncertainties and making informed decisions based on probabilities. As such, a good physician must not only understand the scientific principles but also possess the intuition and experience to apply them effectively in the complex world of patient care.
Themes
MedicineScienceArtProbabilityUncertainty
In practice
Example use cases
During a medical conference, a speaker referenced this quote to highlight the importance of integrating scientific research with clinical intuition.
More from William Osler
All quotes βThere is no more difficult art to acquire than the art of observation, and for some men it is quite as difficult to record an observation in brief and plain language.
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No bubble is so iridescent or floats longer than that blown by the successful teacher.
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The young physician starts life with 20 drugs for each disease, and the old physician ends life with one drug for 20 diseases.
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Let each hour of the day have its allotted duty, and cultivate that power of concentration which grows with its exercise.
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