Today’s rapidly changing technological world advances in modern medicine have allowed for machinery to replace the physical need for doctors in many respects, such as taking vitals or even surgical procedures. If this progresses, will it eradicate the need for doctors? Furthermore, what defines being a good doctor? In such a humanistic field like medicine, one must be aware of his/her responsibilities to humanity. “Good” is only a relative term, for people have varying opinions on what the true essence of a proper doctor is. However, it is the branching of application from paper to patient that truly defines how well one can function in reality.
The recent changes in the MCAT have integrated a new section called Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior. The implementation of such humanistic subjects are of utmost importance, since they allow for a new division of testing one’s ability to understand the human mind and behavior. In order for a person to treat another, they must understand and use the gifts of reasoning and compassion, which sets us apart from not only machinery but the rest of the animal kingdom. My capstone project will focus on this distinction of mankind and the need for its use to forge a change in modern medicine.
The sources I would like to consult for my thesis paper include: information on medical school curriculum, historical articles on physicians and their roles in pre-technological society, physician memoirs, and/or documents on lawsuits in regards to physicians and their behavior towards patients.
