Zebra (medical)

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:For other uses, please see Zebra (disambiguation). Zebra is a slang medical term for an obscure and unlikely diagnosis from ordinary symptoms. It derives from the aphorism "When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don't expect to see a zebra," which was probably coined by Dr. Theodore Woodward, a former professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine.Sotos, John. Zebra Cards—Aphorism Inventor. URL: http://zebracards.com/a-intro_inventor.html. Accessed: January 2, 2006. It is also phrased as "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras."Dr. Cox, Scrubs, episode My Balancing ActA similar term for an obscure and rare diagnosis in medicine is .

Other Heuristics for Medical Diagnosis

  • Sutton's Law - perform first the diagnostic test expected to be most useful
  • Occam's Razor - multiple causes should not be posited without reason
  • Leonard's Law of Physical FindingsSotos, John. Zebra Cards. Philadelphia: American College of Physicians, 1989. - it's obvious or it's not there
  • KISS Principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

    • Uses

  • The House of God - a novel about medical internship.


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