MedRevise Philosophy
Purpose
MedRevise has a basic philosophy. All these points are equally important, so read them all:
- Wide Range of Topics
- Not too technical
- Everyone can get involved
- A sense of humour
- Concise Information
Wide Range of Topics
We want to help medical students gain a decent knowledge of all medical topics, to be able to practice as doctors. Its a pretty obvious one really. We want to fill out the menu on the left, so no one can ever go on a placement and be lost at sea.
Not too technical
Simple english makes for easy understanding. Or, to put another way, non intense linguistical revalation precipitates effacious comprehension.
Too often, medicine uses extra long words for no reason; why use superior really? You could just say upper. You know when you don't get something, and you ask a mate, and they explain it in a conversational way, and then you understand it? That's what we go for.
Everyone can get involved
This is a wiki, which means, like Wikipedia, anyone can contribute. That way it will progress faster, and we find that writing notes helps to put knowledge in your head. Plus it means people can sort out any mistakes we make.
A sense of humour
If you enjoy learning, you will remember it more. Rewording the alcohol screening tool as a chutney abuse screening tool is silly, but when asking a friend "How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop eating chutney once you started?" will stick in your head. It's for this reason also that there is a picture of an unnecessary horse.
Concise Information
We are aiming for a good pass grade of knowledge, not a major A**** distinction. MedRevise is not trying to be Wikipedia! We only want essential information, that is relevant clinically: eg.
Good Example
Depression and therefore SSRI action is not fully understood. There are a variety of theories on the neurophysiology of depression but one is that there's a lack of stimulation of neurons at the synapse. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and SSRIs inhibit serotonin reuptake in the synaptic cleft, increasing stimulation of the post-synaptic neuron.
- Short and Basic
- Admits we don't have the answers, and realises that its not really relevant to patient treatment.
Bad Example
Recent studies show pro-inflammatory cytokine processes take place during depression, mania and bipolar disorder, in addition to somatic disease (such as autoimmune hypersensitivity) and is possible that symptoms manifest in these psychiatric illnesses are being attenuated by pharmacological effect of antidepressants on the immune system.
SSRI's have been shown to be immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory against pro-inflammatory cytokine processes, specifically on the regulation of Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10), as well as TNF-alpha and Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Antidepressants have also been shown to suppress TH1 upregulation.
Future serotonergic antidepressants may be made to specifically target the immune system by either blocking the actions of pro-inflammatory cytokines or increasing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. (taken from Wikipedia)
- Too Encyclopaedic
- Long words, long names
- Stuff that won't come up in the exam.