Our Shared Humanity, Bound in Pages

8th November 2025, by Yogarabindranath Swarna Nantha

It was 2014. I sat quietly, staring out the window of a suburban general practice clinic not far from the city. Outwardly, I maintained a calm, stoic demeanour. But beneath that thin veneer, my thoughts were anything but calm. The air felt charged—pensive, almost electric. I was grappling with a profound inner conflict, fueled by a growing disquiet about how conventional clinical practice was failing the very people it aimed to help.

The cracks had begun to show. I saw an unsettling gap between the training I received and the impact I truly wanted to make. If we were delivering what seemed to be “ideal” consultations, why were so many patients still slowly descending into that endless cycle of suffering under our watch? Were these outcomes circumstantial or purely the result of patient factors? Or maybe we were, as physicians, missing something fundamental?

We, as doctors, come from a place of privilege. Yet that privilege carries a hidden cost—one often borne silently by the less fortunate. It’s easy to forget that our influence was built on the sacrifices of many whose voices were never heard. Anyone guided by a moral compass would find that realization sobering. It reminds us of a simple but powerful truth: we owe society for who we are and for what we’ve become.

I wrote this book during one of the most tumultuous periods of my life—as a way to give back. I was navigating what felt like the “dark night of the soul”. That experience changed me. I lived through the lens of a patient. I shared in their despair, their helplessness, and the crushing weight of living with a health condition. Somewhere along that journey, I realized I had come full circle. It was time to pay my dues—to give something meaningful to those who needed it the most.

The goal of this book is straightforward: to empower outpatient doctors with customizable, evidence-based knowledge—regardless of geography, training level, or qualifications. We aim to help clinicians stay competent and confident in their craft, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Especially in places where access to optimal outpatient training is limited—due to social, political, or economic constraints—this book is intended to be a lifeline, a practical companion that provides the essential tools to meet the minimum expectations of our profession.

This book will not resonate with everyone. Some may find it lacking, or incomplete. Others may commend the effort and embrace the content. And of course, there will be critics—those who question its very existence or relevance. To them, I say: let us agree to disagree and find a way to coexist within our diverse professional ecosystem. Throughout the writing process, I encountered my fair share of controversy. But I’ve come to believe that controversy often stems from misunderstanding. Let me be clear: we never set out to rival the well-established medical tomes that already exist. On the contrary, this book has drawn generously—and gratefully—from the wisdom they offer. My only goal was to simplify the often mystifying art of patient care into accessible, digestible insights for busy clinicians.

They say the darkest nights produce the brightest stars. This book is the result of those stars coming together—contributors who not only shared their knowledge but also became custodians of the values and vision behind this project. Their commitment made this work possible, and for that, I am deeply grateful.

*Screen, Diagnose, Manage and Monitor - A GP Primer to Common Clinical Conditions is a collaborative effort (between clinicians and academics from different universities and practice-based clinics) initiated by Monash University, available on major platforms (Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Springer-Nature)