In the early days of my career as a house officer back in the 80s, confidence wasn’t something that came naturally or easily. Instead, it was something I carried—quite literally—in the pockets of my lab coat. Small, dog-eared pocketbooks filled with scribbled notes were my lifeline. Each page was a precious piece of information that I’d meticulously recorded to reference on the go. Back then, those pocketbooks were as good as gold, carrying insights from clinical guidelines, medication dosages, and practical protocols that would help steady my nerves during long shifts.
Fast forward to the late 90s and early 2000s, and technology was evolving rapidly. The era of the PDA, or personal digital assistant, came with a promise that those tiny screens could hold a library of knowledge—right in my palm. My trusty PDA allowed me to ditch some of the paper notes and instead carry digital versions of reference books and medical guidelines. It was a true marvel for that era, a pioneering device that felt transformative. The smartphone soon followed, bringing not only more accessible digital notes but a plethora of medical apps that revolutionized the way we accessed information. Where once I relied on pocketbooks, I now had comprehensive databases, drug references, and patient management guides available in seconds.
With the advent of Google and the World Wide Web, I felt a new level of confidence in my work. Suddenly, information was available beyond what I’d read in books or learned from mentors. Any question that popped into my head could be answered within moments, reducing that gap between uncertainty and clarity. This change was subtle but empowering, giving me the freedom to explore new ideas and approaches in medicine with the reassurance of accessible information at my fingertips.
And now, we’re in the age of Artificial Intelligence, where the evolution of technology has shifted from being a passive reference tool to an active partner. Today, AI and intelligent search aren’t just “look-up” tools—they’re dynamic resources that can provide highly personalized, context-specific answers, guide clinical decisions, and even predict patient outcomes. Custom AI agents and specialized tools now allow me to have a deeper, more responsive resource to call upon. It’s like having a co-pilot on every case, one who’s constantly up-to-date on the latest evidence and capable of assisting in real-time.
This journey from pocketbook to AI has been a progression not just of technology but of professional confidence. Each advancement has provided another layer of support, another level of assurance that I can make the best possible decisions for my patients. The ever-growing resources at my disposal have not only widened my knowledge but also minimized the anxieties that come with uncertainty.
Reflecting on this journey, I see confidence in medicine not as a static trait but as something we cultivate over time, nurtured by curiosity and a willingness to embrace new tools. AI is just the latest tool in this journey—a powerful partner in care that helps close the gap between the unknown and the known.