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To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all.
William Osler
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The importance of balancing theoretical knowledge with practical experience in medicine.

William Osler emphasizes the necessity of both studying academic literature and engaging with real patients in the field of medicine. He likens the process of learning solely from books to trying to navigate the sea without ever setting sail, highlighting that both knowledge and experience are crucial for a complete education in healthcare.

Themes

EducationMedicinePracticeKnowledgeExperience

In practice

Example use cases

During a medical seminar, to stress the importance of hands-on training, a speaker might say this quote.

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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.
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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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