Consultant gastroenterologist Rajaratnam Mathialagan talks to Kathy Oxtoby about tackling his patients’ concerns and sharing his skills with trainees
“Around 75% of medicine is about reassurance,” says Rajaratnam Mathialagan, a consultant physician and gastroenterologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust in Norfolk.
“Practising as a gastroenterologist for the past 25 years, I’ve found that most patients seeking medical help are worried and anxious—and what they need is for you to reassure them.
“Taking time to explain their conditions and symptoms so they can understand them better, and tackling their concerns in detail is very rewarding,” he says.
While there have been huge advances in technology and diagnostic techniques in medicine, the basic skills—like clear communication, taking a thorough history, and physical examination—remain central to providing good patient care, Mathialagan says. “As clinicians responsible for the future generation of …