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In layman terms what is pulmonology?
What are some different types of respiratory disorders?
What has been your most memorable case and why?
Under what type
of situations would a patient come to you?
What is your advice for someone
who wants to pursue a career in pulmonology?
“Pulmonology is a medical specialty that deals with diseases involving the
respiratory tract. It is known as chest medicine and respiratory medicine in some
countries and areas. It is considered a branch of internal medicine, and is related
to intensive care medicine. Pulmonology often involves managing patients who
need life support and mechanical ventilation. Pulmonologists are specially trained
in diseases and conditions of the chest, particularly pneumonia, complicated chest
infections, bronchial asthma and so on.”
“Some include respiratory tract infections, upper respiratory tract infections, acute
bronchitis and pneumonia, pneumonia in childhood, asthma and COPD and
related smoking disorder, occupational and environmental lung disease as well as
sleep disorders such as Sleep Apnea Syndrome and lung cancer screening.”
“There were two cases of pregnant women who had extensive viral pneumonia,
lung fibrosis and respiratory failure and had been mechanically ventilated for
a long period. Both were successfully treated and both mothers and babies are
survived and came for monthly follow-ups. One of them is now pregnant again.”
“Patients suffering from coughing, sneezing, fever or sputum production as well as
Dyspnea (shortness of breathing),wheezing, snoring (abnormal breathing during
sleep), hemoptysis (coughing of blood) and/or chest pain.”
“My favorite part of my job is teaching. It’s great picking apart diseases and mixing
and matching treatment regimens for the optimal balance of cure and side effect. I
love helping patients and families make impossible decisions with uncertain data.
My advice is that the best choice of medical specialty will be something you enjoy
AND something you are good at.”
H
23
Mar/Apr 2015