"In Search of Excellence" by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, published in 1982, remains one of the best-selling and most widely read business books. The author, Geoff Hughes, was advised to read it during a senior registrar management course in 1989, but he did not finish it. He later encountered the book in a hospital library and discussed it with a friend who runs a successful business. The friend asked what emergency doctors are excellent at, prompting Hughes to reflect on the skills required in emergency medicine. Hughes lists ten areas where emergency doctors should excel. These include resuscitation, resuscitation procedures, triage and major incident management, imaging, electrocardiograms, wounds and soft tissue infections, analgesia and conscious sedation, communication, acting rationally in crises, and empathy and compassion. He emphasizes that while emergency doctors are generalists, they must be excellent in these specific areas. He highlights the importance of skills such as resuscitation protocols, rapid sequence induction, intubation, and the use of diagnostic ultrasound. He also stresses the importance of accurate triage, proper imaging interpretation, and effective communication with patients and colleagues. Hughes argues that emergency doctors must maintain high standards in all areas, including the ability to recognize rare conditions and provide timely, appropriate care. He also emphasizes the importance of empathy and compassion in patient care, especially in difficult situations. The article concludes by reinforcing the need for emergency doctors to uphold the values of their profession and to provide care that is both technically proficient and humanely compassionate."In Search of Excellence" by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, published in 1982, remains one of the best-selling and most widely read business books. The author, Geoff Hughes, was advised to read it during a senior registrar management course in 1989, but he did not finish it. He later encountered the book in a hospital library and discussed it with a friend who runs a successful business. The friend asked what emergency doctors are excellent at, prompting Hughes to reflect on the skills required in emergency medicine. Hughes lists ten areas where emergency doctors should excel. These include resuscitation, resuscitation procedures, triage and major incident management, imaging, electrocardiograms, wounds and soft tissue infections, analgesia and conscious sedation, communication, acting rationally in crises, and empathy and compassion. He emphasizes that while emergency doctors are generalists, they must be excellent in these specific areas. He highlights the importance of skills such as resuscitation protocols, rapid sequence induction, intubation, and the use of diagnostic ultrasound. He also stresses the importance of accurate triage, proper imaging interpretation, and effective communication with patients and colleagues. Hughes argues that emergency doctors must maintain high standards in all areas, including the ability to recognize rare conditions and provide timely, appropriate care. He also emphasizes the importance of empathy and compassion in patient care, especially in difficult situations. The article concludes by reinforcing the need for emergency doctors to uphold the values of their profession and to provide care that is both technically proficient and humanely compassionate.