A personal reflection from Dr Shashi Ponraja on the values that shaped his approach to medicine, from the influence of cradle-to-grave general practice to the importance of time, clinical reasoning, validation, and truly seeing the person behind the condition.

Osteoarthritis is usually a clinical diagnosis (ie, it is diagnosed based on a patient's history and physical examination). However, affected joints can be visibly affected when scanned under an X-ray.

Cervical radiculopathy is largely a ‘clinical diagnosis’ – this means that a doctor can diagnose it based on the history, signs and symptoms of the condition.

Many women in their 30s and 40s are told their symptoms are stress or burnout. But for some, it’s something else entirely.

Most healthcare is built around short consultations. But complex health doesn’t fit into 10 minutes.