NOTICE: Because we have no spare back issues of the Winter 2004, Spring 2004, and Summer 2004 issues, the text of the articles from each issue may be read either from the issue web page or the Sample Articles link at left. As of today, January 11, 2007, the text of the Winter 2004 and Spring 2004 issues are now on-line. (Editorials, news, reviews, and poetry are not included.) Corrections should be forwarded to Debbie Lancaster.
The Pharos
The Pharos, Alpha Omega Alpha's quarterly journal, is unique among medical journals for its humanities focus. One author put it this way:
In an age of rapidly evolving technology and forced efficiency, The Pharos continues to emphasize the artistic, the literary, and the place of music, language, and culture in medicine. Although themes may shift—now touching upon the economics or the ethics of times—humanism is the enduring content of our AΩA journal.
In my practice now, patients often are diagnosed and therapy begun in the emergency room after the briefest of histories, the scantiest of physicals, and a scattergram of diagnostic studies which present the admitting physician with a diagnosis made, a therapy begun. And while the diagnoses may be incorrect, and the therapy modified, even this often is mandated by further laboratory diagnostic studies, roentgenograms, scans, and serologies, rather than by history and physical examination. Because of this, talking to patients has become more rare, more hurried, even in sorting out the patient's principal problem. In addition, the rapid turnover and shorter length of stay of today's hospitalized patient makes difficult any pursuit of the side of medicine that illuminates the human being (who has a disorder) rather than the diagnosis and expeditious management of the disorder itself.
Why, then, in spite of current conditions, has Pharos policy continued its devotion to all of these "nonessential" areas of patient care? It is hard to prove them cost-effective. Alternately, some would say that doctors, broadly educated, deeply committed, and ofter very curious, should need no further inspiration.
Bur that is simply not true. The demand, particularly of young doctors, is for increasing mastery of a variety of practical points in medicine. The intercalation of the arts and humanities into patient care, as well as the background necessary to do this, may come only—if at all—with age and experience.
The point is not, of course, that knowledge of literature, history, music, art, or other nonmedical scientific subjects makes one a better diagnostician (although this may be true) or a better therapist (although that is almost certainly true), but that the possession by the doctor of the background necessary to explore these areas with patients vastly eriches the relationship, and generates those moments in the doctor's life that flavor memories ever after.
The journal accepts the following types of submissions:
Scholarly essays on nontechnical medically-related subjects, including medical history, literature, art, ethics, economics, health policy, and profiles of prominent persons
Scholarly nonfiction on a medical subject
Poetry, and poetry/photography combinations
Personal essays.
Manuscripts for The Pharos should be 15 pages or fewer, double-spaced, submitted in triplicate, and conform to the format outlined in Instructions for Pharos Authors. Editorial material should be sent to: The Editor, The Pharos, 525 Middlefield Rd., Suite 130, Menlo Park, CA 94025-3480.
Download a complete index of The Pharos (in Excel).
Requests for permission to reprint individual articles should be faxed to the Pharos managing editor at (650) 329-1618, or e-mailed to Debbie Lancaster.
Circulation information: The Pharos is sent to all dues-paying members of Alpha Omega Alpha and is covered by annual dues. All correspondence relating to circulation should be e-mailed to Mara Celebi, faxed to (650) 329-1618, or mailed to 525 Middlefield Road, Suite 130, Menlo Park, CA 94025.