PJ Background

A magazine for physicians whose goal, as its Latin definition states, is "to give pleasure to". The purpose in starting this "Placebo" brand was to empower physicians with a skill that is sorely lacking – humor.  We have expanded, however, to physician assistants to nurses to radiology techs to even patients.  By using real life medical stories, all of us can now laugh at the medical system.

Like a placebo pill, our journal produces a positive effect from something of very little substance.  We don't think too much of ourselves because we know our journal is a rag tabloid.  The burnout, depression and suicide rate is high amongst healthcare givers.    We don't mean to denigrate the practice of medicine, our patients or other physicians.  We do mean to humanize our profession more.  It is not only therapeutic but necessary.  Laughter is the key to life!  With the Placebo Journal, we want everyone to see the lighter side of the job.

The Placebo Journal is owned, published and distributed by Medpaste, LLC.  We are a small and growing company whose goal is to get information to physicians that is unique, entertaining, and worthwhile (sometimes).  Our company also produces the Placebo Gazette and has authored The Placebo Chronicles.

Educational objective – none.  In fact, the Placebo Journal has no socially redeeming value whatsoever.  We have no delusions of grandeur of changing the world or the way you practice medicine.  We just hope you laugh.

Our Creative Designer, Gordon Marshall, has a quarter century of experience in graphic design and production from a wide variety of advertising, marketing and design projects. First as advertising manager for Peck’s Department store in Lewiston, Maine, he went on to produce grocery flyers for Sampson Supermarkets and IGA Food Stores for nearly ten years. Next, Gordon helped to establish a graphic design department at the area’s largest daily newspaper, the Lewiston Sun-Journal. From a start as Chief Artist to a position of Creative Services Manager over his ten years at the paper, he had the opportunity to apply his skills to many design opportunities and won numerous awards for his work.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

The information and opinions presented in the Placebo Journal reflect the views of the authors, not necessarily those of the journal or Medpaste, LLC.  We cannot control how PJ responds in the “Ask PJ” section nor can we control what he says in his editorials.  The staff makes every reasonable effort to maintain confidentiality of the people involved in each story.  All names used are presented to the Placebo Journal as aliases.  The staff also makes every reasonable effort to make sure the stories are true and actually happened to each author.  We accept no stories that show compromise of care nor do we condone such.  We therefore make every reasonable effort to obtain disclosure from each author for each entry donated to the Placebo Journal.