ItsyBitsy Posted August 31, 2011 Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 Hi med. students. Math is not one of my strong points, I enjoy physics for some strange reason even though it's basically math but calculus, algebra and even stats - makes me want to pull my hair out. So I was wondering how much of it you actually use in med school and while practicing medicine. Could you give me a standard example medical problem you'd be analyzing that would involve math (I just want to assess the level of difficulty involved)... Also, as a doctor (not neurosurgery or anything, but basic family medicine), I'm assuming you'd need math to calculate the dosage of medication you'd be giving someone, and other things like that. Would that draw more on your chemistry skills, or more math, or both? Since I really do not enjoy math at all, I want to know beforehand before I make the plunge (don't want to accidentally overdose or make another horrible mistake because of poor math skills and end up seriously hurting someone:() Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I wish we used it more.. I think my skills have regressed significantly Studying physics, and realizing I don't remember much about logarithms.. which would put me at about junior high level. For pediatrics or other instances where the patient's weight affects dosing, drug references give dosages per kg. So basically, you need to be able to operate a calculator to multiply a dose by the patient's weight. You're more likely to harm a patient by not checking allergies, contraindications, or drug interactions, or by sloppy handwriting or misidentifying the patient. Other equations I've seen come up in family medicine can all be done by basic arithmetic. Nephrology had more algebra when I went through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithril Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 What about fields like cardiology? Is there a lot of math in that (I, for one, actually miss math)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 Hopefully someone else can chime in here. I know that nuclear medicine and radiation oncology residents need to know physics. However, just as nurses and pharmacists calculate medication dosing rates from our orders, nuclear medicine technologists and radiation therapists do a lot of number crunching too. If you are involved in learning about or doing research, a foundation in statistics will be valuable. Of course, more technical types of research will involve math as well - I'm just not sure how much clinicians use in day-to-day practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsyBitsy Posted September 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 Other equations I've seen come up in family medicine can all be done by basic arithmetic. That's a relief. I know it's an important skill to have regardless but math and I have never really gotten along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renin Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I use like no math. Being dyslexic, this is awesome You do need to know how to do basic algebra (ie: calculating someone's anion gap). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nixon Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I use like no math. Being dyslexic, this is awesome You do need to know how to do basic algebra (ie: calculating someone's anion gap). Even then, calculating anion gaps or osmolar gaps is simple arithmetics. In cardiology and nephrology we haven't been using math as much as one could expect, but you need to understand basic physics and equations like mean blood pressure = vascular resistance x blood flow. And you somewhat need to be familiar with vectorial algebra to understand the basics of EKG. Other than that math have been quite useless up to now (unfortunately for all math lovers like me i used to get much satisfaction from integrals and differential equations I must be insane) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uwphys Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 If you are involved in learning about or doing research, a foundation in statistics will be valuable. Of course, more technical types of research will involve math as well - I'm just not sure how much clinicians use in day-to-day practice. I think it's imperative to understand stats, even on a basic level, whether or not you're doing research (or even medicine for that matter). In any type of clinical research you will need to be able to determine whether or not the data actually means anything based on the stats. You don't need to know the mathematical theory behind statistics (although I find knowing why something is the way it is helps me learn it better), just a first-year university level should be sufficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renin Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Even then, calculating anion gaps or osmolar gaps is simple arithmetics.In cardiology and nephrology we haven't been using math as much as one could expect, but you need to understand basic physics and equations like mean blood pressure = vascular resistance x blood flow. And you somewhat need to be familiar with vectorial algebra to understand the basics of EKG. Other than that math have been quite useless up to now (unfortunately for all math lovers like me i used to get much satisfaction from integrals and differential equations I must be insane) Pshaw. You don't need vectoral algebra to understand EKG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebouque Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Pshaw. You don't need vectoral algebra to understand EKG To understand EKG you do need some vectorial algebra. However, you don't need them to interpret them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nixon Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 thebouque just replied for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharmingHedgehog Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 If you go into family medicine, and a child weighing 48lb comes in with ear ache You determine it's otitis media with bacterial infection. You decide to give Amoxicillin. The standard dose for AOM is 80mg/kg/day divided in 3 doses The medication comes in 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml bottles a: how many miligrams should you prescribe for the children b: what's the corresponding volume? (bonus!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloh Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 If you go into family medicine, and a child weighing 48lb comes in with ear acheYou determine it's otitis media with bacterial infection. You decide to give Amoxicillin. The standard dose for AOM is 80mg/kg/day divided in 3 doses The medication comes in 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml bottles a: how many miligrams should you prescribe for the children b: what's the corresponding volume? (bonus!) Even that's not a huge deal b/c if you write the weight of the child on the script, most pharmacists will doublecheck it to make it's correct (or so I've been told). I wouldn't have such things worry you about career choice imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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