Grand rounds are one of the more esoteric bits of medical education, often involving some sort of free lunch and maybe a case presentation or a journal article.
In blog terms ground rounds is "a weekly rotating carnival of the best of the blogosphere." Each Tuesday a different health-related blogger gathers together other health-related blogs and gives a brief description and a link for each of them. A recent grand round was held on the Path Talk blog. The blogs are written by health workers, and the target audience is "educated but non-medical readers". The purpose is introducing people to the world of medical blogs. As with many things, the focus is American, but if you're looking for a blog on health topics, Blogborygmi (don't ask - I don't know) and Grand Rounds is the place to start.
If you've ever wondered why doctors blog, you're not alone. In fact, a quick Google search shows that nurses, physiotherapists and pretty much everyone else is at it too. Even patients are in on the act. Is this a good thing? Some doctors are concerned that it's not helpful for parents, for example, to include in their blog details of medical care and decisions around care received by their children. But blogs can be a good way to find out how people feel about their treatment and how they experience illness. That can be helpful for those providing care, and for others experiencing the same illness. Whether you've got cancer, hypochondria or a passion for knitting, if you've got internet access you'll never be alone.
