From: gdavis@griffin.uvm.edu (Gary Davis)
Subject: Re: Physician's Incomes
Keywords: income
Organization: University of Vermont -- Division of EMBA Computer Facility
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 15:38:03 GMT

In <q7crzc-@lynx.unm.edu> cease@carina.unm.edu (Cecilia De Blasi) writes:

>In article <gdavis.724690558@griffin> gdavis@griffin.uvm.edu (Gary Davis) writes:
>>
>> My guess would be that the first four undergraduate years could be 
>>better used. Perhaps many of the biochemistry and general science     
>>courses that populate the freshman year of medical school could be
>>moved to years 3/4 of undergraduate study. Acceptance into medical
>>school could take place in the sophomore year.
>>
>>As far as more information,your point is well taken,but studies show
>>that even the best medical school students have essentially forgotten
>>90 to 95 percent of what was taught by the time they do an internship!
>>Surely there must be quick and better ways to train neophyte physicians.
>>
>>As for cost,the system seems to be saying the public be damned!
>>If new MDS are persuing their careers for 200k to 300k incomes rather
>>than the public good;I'd be first in line to reform the system.
>>That is what I believe needs be done,but know it will not be done
>>by the Clinton administartion or in any likely time interval in the
>>next 20 to 30 years. Sigh!
>>
>>--
>>                       Gary E. Davis /WQ1F/
>>              Dpt. Electrical Engineering and Com Sciences
>>              University of Vermont @ Burlington

>I am a medical student at the University of New Mexico (that's in the
>United States, you know.  :)  I received my B.S. in astrophysics with
>a math minor.  My class is composed of students with an incredibly
>diverse background, including anthropology, engineering, dance and
>history; some of my classmates are parents, and many have worked in the
>business world prior to medical school.  What you are proposing, Sir,
>would yield a body of physicians who collectively knew very little of 
>the world besides medicine.  I consider an undergraduate education (even,
>or perhaps preferably, in fields having little to do with medicine)
>before pursuing a medical degree to be an essential step in the
>development of future doctors; such an education enriches one's mind
>and prevents "medical myopia."  As to the suggestion of decreasing
>the number of years spent in medical school, I suspect that my entire
>class would have laughed as heartily as did I at the thought.  We are
>struggling to learn the volumes of information presented to us in our
>two years of classroom learning, and everything we are being taught is
>important for any responsible and well-rounded physician to know.  If
>anything, we need more time, not less.  I am surprised that anyone would
>suggest the changes in medical education that you have when such changes
>would probably produce doctors ill-prepared for practice.


 There are a lot of things in professional education that would be
nice,but probably are not cost effective. Allowing the priviledge
of persuing any discipline as an undergraduate pre-med student
probably IS one of them. I'm not sure that this four years of
freedom to choose ciriculum is directly contributing to more
well rounded or humanitarian physicians. Have you any evidence?
A lot of med students drop out in their freshman year;they are so
crushed by the relatively inhuman manner the subject matter is taught in!
I think medical education should NOT rely on undergraduate years to
humanize their charges. They should be bringing humanism to medical
education itself. We have seen so many arrogant snobs on this
net who are MDs have have reason to give pause when told the four
undergraduate years somehow humanize a physician.

Ofcourse it must also be said there a thousands of wonderfully
rounded and compassionate physicians. Its the ones at the other end
of the spectrum I wonder about.

As a staff advisor I have been inside so many disputes between
physician and non-physician that it makes me a little more
than whistling Dixie when I speak.



>-- 
>| courtesy of Cease of the Not Well Defined at This Time |
>|        cease@unmb.bitnet    cease@carina.unm.edu       |
>|    We're only immortal for a limited time.  - Rush     |
>**********************************************************
--
                       Gary E. Davis /WQ1F/
              Dpt. Electrical Engineering and Com Sciences
              University of Vermont @ Burlington