Volume 40 · Number 4
APRIL 2010
The Struggles of Applying the Science of Evidence-based Medicine in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
By Lindsey L. Corr, MD
"Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability."
William Osler, 1849-1919
Although less the case today than a century ago, medicine remains a science in which uncertainties and probabilities abound. Psychiatry, similar to other areas of medicine, is still very much an art in pursuit of the often unattainable certainty. Recognizing the nuances of this art form makes applying evidence-based medicine (EBM) to child and adolescent psychiatry difficult at times. Great strides have been made to produce guidelines for best practices in using psychopharmacology in our field. However, as every great instructor will tell you, no two patients are the same. Patients may respond differently to a certain medication than what is expected, and you must treat the patient, not the diagnosis.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lindsey L. Corr, MD, is a Fellow with Creighton-Nebraska Psychiatry, Omaha.
Address correspondence to: Lindsey L. Corr, MD, Creighton-Nebraska Psychiatry Residency, 515 S. 26th St., Omaha, NE 68105; or e-mail: [email protected].
Dr. Corr has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
doi: 10.3928/00485713-20100330-02
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