It seems like every day there is a new video from a doctor claiming some special insight into Covid-19. I have a few thoughts about how to approach these.
I think it is important to remember that being a doctor can mean a lot of different things. If you have a sick three year old, I am your man. That is why I am here. That is what I do. But you should worry if you are sixty years old and possibly having a heart attack and I show up to take care of you. That is not what I am trained to do. I could maybe muddle my way through and help some, but you would have a much better chance with an ER doctor or cardiologist caring for you. For information on Covid-19, I want to hear from virologists, epidemiologists, and the ER physicians, intensivists, and hospitalists caring for patients with the disease.
It is also important to remember that even doctors in the same field can have varying levels of expertise. This can vary based on intrinsic abilities, where someone went to school, where they did their residency (or if they even completed one), whether they are board certified, how much experience they have, if they did fellowship training after residency, etc.
Some mechanics are better at fixing engines than others. There are some basketball players who are more likely to make a clutch shot on the last possession in the championship game. Some carpenters build a more solid house than others. Some people make tastier, more nutritious food than others. No matter what field you are in, I am sure there are people who you recognize as being more competent and trustworthy than others. In the same way, some doctors are better positioned to speak about Covid-19 than others. Being a doctor does not magically imbue one with wisdom on all things medical.
Medical progress is plodding. It is based on rigorous evaluation of data and attention to detail. I am not aware of any significant medical insights to ever first be released via You Tube or Facebook. They are much more likely to be on page 38 of The New England Journal of Medicine. Some of the videos I have seen in the past few weeks have some basic errors that are easy for other doctors to spot. So just be cautious about jumping on bandwagons, unless you are fine with me treating your heart attack.
