Zebra
Zebra (Medicine)
Zebra (/ˈziːbrə/; from Italian zebra, from Portuguese) is a term used in medicine to denote an unexpected diagnosis. While the term is not commonly used in general conversation, it is widely recognized and used within the medical community.
Etymology
The term Zebra is derived from the saying "When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras". This phrase was coined in the late 1940s by Dr. Theodore Woodward, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The phrase is taught to medical students throughout their education as a reminder that the most obvious answer is usually correct.
Usage
In medical parlance, a Zebra is a very unlikely diagnosis where a more common explanation is more probable. It is often used in the context of medical students and junior doctors who have a tendency to diagnose rare conditions when common ones are more likely.
Related Terms
- Differential diagnosis: The process of distinguishing a particular disease or condition from others that present similar clinical features.
- Occam's razor: A problem-solving principle that suggests the simplest solution tends to be the right one.
- Hickam's dictum: A counterargument to Occam's razor in medical diagnosis, stating that patients can have as many diseases as they damn well please.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Zebra
- Wikipedia's article - Zebra
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