Anyone who has known me for any length of time has probably heard me say, ‘words matter.’ It only makes sense that my blog have the same name. I have been using the phrase ‘words matter’ since medical training. It is critically important in healthcare that we use the correct words to express what we are trying to say to each other. A huge part of medical training in both medical school and residency is learning the medical lexicon. It ha always been important that we are precise in our words.
One of my favorite shows for years has been The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons, likes to correct people throughout the show. One of my favorites is his annoyance with the hyperbolic use of the word literally.
Words have meaning. When taking general surgery call, there were always certain words when I heard them in the middle of the night that would instantly snap me awake. Peritonitis (inflammation of the abdomen), pneumoperitoneum (air inside the abdomen), pneumothorax (air outside the lungs), and sepsis (severe infection) were all words that could instantly wake me up. Anytime I heard any of these words, I would immediately need to figure out if the patient needed surgical intervention and required an urgent trip to the hospital to evaluate the patient.
Now that I have a small son, I have found that I need to be even more precise with my words because my four year old has the mind of a seasoned lawyer and is able to find any loophole in my words.
Words are how we communicate and it is important we use the right words. When giving advice about public speaking, we are often told that non-verbal communication is more important than the verbal communication. While I believe that non-verbal communication is important, choosing the right words can be just as important. My hope is that the words in these blogs are right for anyone who reads them.