The Words Matter Podcast with Oliver Thomson

Dr Oliver Thomson talks with physiotherapist and philosopher Dr Roger Kerry about evidence based medicine for The Words Matter Podcast CauseHealth Series.

Show Notes

Welcome to another episode of The Words Matter Podcast.

In this episode of the CauseHealth Series, I’m speaking with Dr Roger Kerry about his Chapter 13 that he wrote for the CauseHealth book titled ‘Causal Dispositionalism and Evidence Based Healthcare’ (read Roger's Chapter here).

Roger is an Associate Professor in the Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham. He specialises on risks and adverse events of manual therapy, neck pain and headache as well as clinical reasoning (see his research here). He holds a PhD in Philosophy with the doctoral dissertation Causation and Evidence-Based Medicine (see here). 

On this episode we talk about:
  • His background as a physiotherapist, educator and researcher and how causation has featured in these areas of his work.
  • The development of CauseHealth of which he was a founding member of the network.
  • Roger’s Philosophy PhD which looked at causation in relation to EBM and how this related the CauseHealth project.
  • The inferential gap or problem of induction
  • The nature of clinical reasoning and clinical expertise.
  • What is the ‘best available evidence’ in relation to causal dispositionalism.
  • Whether there is objective ‘Truth’ in healthcare.
  • What we ‘do’ with RCTs, and what does dispositionalim do with/say about RCTs and how the theory may change or support our clinical and research methods.
So this was an absolutely wonderful discussion with Roger, I’d been wanting to have him on the Podcast for ages- and it was well worth the wait. You'll hear him say  at the end of our chat that it was like going three rounds with Mike Tyson…but the feeling was completely mutual given the ground that we both covered in the conversation. This is a real treat.

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What is The Words Matter Podcast with Oliver Thomson?

The Words Matter Podcast brings you insights, reflections and conversations focused on the latest evidence, theory, philosophy and practice of communication-focused healthcare.

Find out about the more tacit, 'softer' and personal side of clinical practice such as the role of philosophy, beliefs, behaviours, developing therapeutic relationships or the purposeful use of language with people experiencing pain from expert academics, clinicians and researchers from across the world and spanning the musculoskeletal disciplines. This podcast will help you reflect on your own current practice and inform and stimulate you to consider new ways of approaching your practice and patients, to create a better clinical experience and outcomes in people with musculoskeletal pain.

Hosted by Dr Oliver Thomson PhD, an osteopath and Associate Professor who is passionate about researching and educating clinicians on a revised narrative, communication and biopsychosocial approach to musculoskeletal therapy. If you like the podcast, subscribe and check out the online learning and resources at www.wordsmatter-education.com.

Support the show and become a patron https://www.patreon.com/thewordsmatterpodcast