Welcome to the Anniversary Edition of Grand Rounds, the weekly carnival of the medical blogosphere. This is my fourth time hosting, and I want to thank Nick Genes for the honor of kicking off the 4th year of Grand Rounds.

Congratulations to all of you for making the healthcare blogosphere what it is today. Informative. Opinionated. Dynamic. Controversial. Grand Rounds is the weekly celebration of the best that we have to offer, and gives physicians, nurses, patients, and other health professionals an emphatic voice in today’s constantly evolving world of medicine and health.

This year, we have seen blogs come and go, and welcomed the mainstream media’s belated embrace of healthcare blogging. Some didn’t quite know what to make of physicians blogging about patients, while others in high levels of authority have whole-heartedly embraced the power of blogging and the transparency it offers.

Here’s to another great year of healthcare blogging, with Grand Rounds being the weekly oasis to share our stories, perspective, experiences and opinions.

edwinleap.com says physicians need to let go of the guilt, and everyone will be better off.

In Musings of a Distractible Mind, Dr. Rob talks about physician abbreviations. Mind your x’s and z’s.

Perennial occupant in the MedBlog Power 8, Surgeonsblog talks about operating on colleagues, co-workers, and their families.

ERnursey writes about how to keep nurses happy. Happy nurses, happy doctors I say.

EM Physician calls medicine the “man-whore” of professions.

Why the obsession with ratings? Patients are already rating doctors, now it’s the nurses turn. Emergiblog thinks this is a bad idea.

Prudence, M.D. talks about facing death with a heartbreaking story.

Thinking about doing an emergency medicine residency? Panda Bear, MD should be required reading for you.

Notes from Dr. RW summarizes the current controversies with the diabetes medications, Avandia and Actos.

George Clooney recently was involved in a motorcycle accident. Inside Surgery talks about potential motorcycle injuries.

Six Until Me writes a well-regarded diabetes blog. This week, she talks to a customer service rep about her insulin pump.

A Canadian politician chooses to receive care Stateside. Outrage? Hardly, says Canadian Medicine.

A Chronic Dose chronicles life with several chronic diseases. This week, she writes about what it’s like for her significant other.

Disney is going into the hospital business. What does hospital impact think about this?

Diabetes Mine gives her take on health reform, from the perspective of someone with a chronic disease.

Sean Donahue gives us some Straight Talk from the Stanford ER. Needle sticks in the line of duty is a scary experience.

vitum medicinus is a Canadian medical student learning the ropes. You can’t jump to conclusions with shortness of breath.

donorcycle chronicles the life of an organ transplant coordinator. She talks about the last consent she may do in awhile.

NY Emergency Medicine notes how the VA is failing in its treatment of PTSD.

Using x-rays to sell jeans. Street Anatomy on a Levi’s ad campaign.

Anxiety, Addiction and Depression Treatments posts about adult ADHD.

The differences between going to the vet and going to the family doctor? Just Jack with some observations.

ScienceRoll writes about how Second Life can play a role in medical education.

Did you know there was a Dutch version of Grand Rounds? Dr. Shock MD, PhD is hosting.

The Physician Executive writes about physician prima-donnas. Nah, it can’t happen, can it?

Believe it or not, sometimes doctors have good days at work. GruntDoc tells us his.

Medicine for the Outdoors talks about spending time in a high altitude with a pre-existing neurological condition.

Clinical Cases and Images points to a Medscape editorial about pimping medical students.

SharpBrains interviews Dr. Judith Beck on how cognitive techniques can be applied to develop a number of important mental skills.

AstraZeneca to outsource manufacturing? Perhaps not a good idea says the Health Business Blog.

How to Cope with Pain reviews Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend, calling it “full of simple, easy, yet important suggestions for supporting someone whose illness or condition doesn’t quickly go away.”

Highlight HEALTH talks about a Senate bill that would expand public access to taxpayer-funded research.

What do to when a physician cries? Signout wonders how to react.

RangelMD describes a case of ventilation against a patient’s wishes. Defensive medicine or assault?

Shrink Rap asks, “What’s your favorite SSRI?”

Doctor Anonymous notes the importance of washing your hands.

Reflections from Dr. Bruce Campbell notes how you can learn from incompetent older practitioners as well.

The Schwitzer health news blog explains how journalists can be in Big Pharma’s pockets as well.

Who says medbloggers can’t be sexy? Addicted to Medblogs presents Dr. September.

Cardiologist Dr. Wes certainly knows illness. But what is wellness?

Eye on DNA notes how calorie restriction can protect cells from aging.

Trying to lose weight? Med Journal Watch looks at how blood sugar levels can affect to “yo-yo”.

Trusted.MD covers two recent conferences: The Healthcare Blogging Summit and Health 2.0.

Rickety Contrivances of Doing Good is a volunteer hospital chaplin. She observes that crazy ER shifts can give us more empathy for what our patients are going through.

The Fitness Fixer tells us to stop doing abdominal crunches.

Junkfood Science asks if randomized-controlled trials really that airtight?

Envision Solutions and Trusted.MD asks medical bloggers to take the second annual healthcare blogging survey.

How do you break into Sermo and listen in on exclusive physician discussions? Medgadget tells us. Doctor Geek, M.D. isn’t too worried about it . . . yet.

DB’s Medical Rants on the dangers of too many medications.

Surgery can be dirty business. Aggravated DocSurg tells about the dirtiest.

Teen Health 411 talks about teens and college. Are they emotionally ready?

Pharmalot comments on the death of Merck’s HIV vaccine.

Aetiology talks Clostridium difficile.

The Diet Dish suggests “retelling your nutrition stories” when trying to lose weight.

Do vegetarians live longer? Disease Proof explores the issue.

And that’s a wrap. I hope that this edition gets the fourth year of Grand Rounds off to a great start, and thanks for reading.

Musings of a Distractible Mind hosts next week.