Why Ask Questions?

When creating an answerable question, think about the "question behind the question". That bottom line question is "What action will you take when you have the answer to the question?"

Most questions will fall into one of these categories:

Solve a specific clinical problem
The commonest reason for asking questions is to solve a problem which arises in an encounter with a particular patient. It requires you to check your current knowledge and search for new knowledge as necessary.

Test existing knowledge
It is hard to admit that you don't have a correct answer for a question. Consider the statement of one author that half of the information he learned in medical school was obsolete within five years. A quick test is to see if you can remember when and where you learned a particular piece of information.

Seek new knowledge
You are constantly confronted with new medical information. The trick is to select information that applies to you and your patients.

Determine local standards of practice
The "best" therapy for a particular condition is often the one that works in your practice setting and your community.  How do the local experts manage the problem? What is the evidence that their standards are correct? If the evidence is weak, then the standard should be challenged.

Enjoyment
Remember the old adage about "all work and no play". Take the time to look up something just for fun or mental stimulation. An example is the literature that suggests that John Merrick (The Elephant Man) may have had the rare Proteus Syndrome, rather than Von Recklinhausen's Disease.  Or search MEDLINE for information about "killer pop machines".