The making of a doctor

by R. S. Downie

"Today, medical education, like all aspects of education, is under intense scrutiny from the government and the general public. The government requires doctors to be financially accountable, while patients need them to be knowledgeable and personable as well as technically competent. This timely book demonstrates that all of these goals can be achieved without increased expenditure, but cannot be achieved merely by altering the present system. Too often the discussion of medical education has been a matter for consenting medical professors in private, and largely consists of adjusting the curriculum to satisfy the demands of various academic departments. This is no longer adequate. This work examines the moral, philosophical, and historical underpinnings of medical education through a broad perspective. It includes important suggestions for change and improvement with the objective throughout being that it is both desirable and possible to put education back into medical training."--Pu