Perhaps true progression lies in hiring different doctors, rather than dispensing with them altogether, for current demands require doctors to be technically strong, but also possess the necessary emotional qualities that patients crave. This was especially iterated in a study published in the Journal of Participatory Medicine, that interviewed and surveyed people at random in four different locations throughout the Washington, D.C. area. The results were quite interesting because the responses were relatable to the everyday individual and some of the responses include the following:
“I would want their doctors to have compassion and show my loved one that they care about them as a human being, not just as another case to solve.”
“I really didn’t like this one doctor. He didn’t even look at my face. He kept walking. I felt discriminated against because maybe he didn’t talk to me because my English isn’t fluent and I’m old. He didn’t care.”
“If I could ask to improve something, I would say stop ignoring me. I feel invisible. Is it because I’m older? Doctors need to care about their patients.” (Journal of Participatory Medicine, 2015)
Clearly, there is an appreciation for expertise, but there is resentment for uncompassionate treatment. To combat this emerging problem, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the administrators of the infamously difficult medical school entrance examination, have developed a new MCAT all together.
In this developing relation between humans and robots, doctors must stand out more than ever in their ability to connect and treat their patients through the uniqueness of human contact. With all the aforementioned research being done to increase the convenience of using robots and machines in the medical field, it is no surprise that the MCAT administrators would see a need for change. The new exam was put into use in 2015 and introduced new sections that focused on sociological and psychological aspects of becoming a doctor. The previous exam had a heavier reliance on the test taker’s ability to memorize and spit out textbook bound scientific information. The new MCAT is said to be an exam where it “asks examinees to be scientists by not only testing them on what they know, but also on how well they apply what they know.” (Association of American Medical Colleges, 2015) The main purpose behind the change was to illustrate the sociocultural and behavioral determinants that can affect a person’s health. Healthcare is a worldwide service and so it must be met with equally apt and open minded, diverse thinkers that can holistically treat a patient. With the rising demands of society–that is, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and geographically, there are several new constraints that have easily put a dent in traditional forms of treatment. It is clear that eventually, menial tasks will be completely taken over by machines.
Thus, human interaction with patients is an integral part of residency training, which has also seen a shift in the wake of new demands doctors must face. After World War II, the medical world received a huge boost from its war achievements and advancements, so much so that physicians were held in high esteem for their extensive disease knowledge and command of science. This was a simpler time aptly captured in the memoir of Dr. Eric J. Cassell, a man who served his residency more than half a century ago. “Was my training different from residency training today? Superficially, absolutely yes. Fundamentally, certainly not… A major change is that patients have been moved to the center of medicine and the relative roles of physicians and patients have altered.” (Cassell, 1999)
Today, changes in residency must parallel the changing demands in the healthcare field. In 2016, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) announced its Pursuing Excellence in Clinical Learning Environments Initiative, which aims to improve the quality and safety of medical centers in which residents train. The Council has selected eight sites in which a “Pathway Innovators Group” represents select individuals who will undertake a four-year journey as a test and model for new, experimental, and effective practices for the entire graduate medical education community. Senior Vice President Kevin Weiss, MD aptly described the current problems with residency training, “When it comes to training in patient safety and quality, residents need hands-on experience. They have the knowledge but not the application.” (Farouk, 2016) In this new development for residency training, future doctors will have emphasized learning in physician-patient interaction as well as a better sense of what the occupation truly requires.
