Idealistic young men and women have always found an attraction with the medical profession. However, more than ever, America’s medical schools have brought in a new generation of students who, in these past few years, have spurned the physical profits of working in the medical field.
Consider the example of one 28-year-old doctor who declined an offer of $30,000-plus from medical schools, private foundations, and pharmaceutical and insurance companies. Rather, he earns $12,000 annually as an employee of an association that he started when he was a student in a medical program. A commitment to the advancement of the level of medical care being provided in the United States is what drives this doctor, as well as the others of this new breed.
He says he isn’t interested in practicing medicine in the traditional way. His 4-year-old government funded organization was formed for the study of legal, dental, medicinal and educational needs for the communities of America. Reviewing the needs of the areas as unique to the community, it is not just health care that they need but a plethora of services and help. Medical schools now face the need to adjust their curriculum so that this new breed of student will have the tools and training necessary to be effective doctors.
The U.S. is experiencing a crisis within the health field. Medical schools are slowly beginning to see this need but they need to be spurred to action. Those wearing the spurs in this situation are the medical students themselves and resultant from this, almost all of the country’s medical schools now have courses in community medicine as part of their class offerings. The majority of the medical students are now aware of these problems and want to work towards fixing them.
The dean of one of this country’s premier medical schools says that the current group of students have an increased sense of social awareness and genuine compassion as well as serious concern about injustice and a driven purpose. He is even seeing a deficiency in the sense of humor of current students, as opposed to students from past generations, as a result of their drive and passion for achieving their goals. He continues that the medical student of today will commit more time and effort to reach his purpose. Today’s medical student has unique values, goals, and lives an unique lifestyle. They do not want to do what’s always been done just because society thinks they have to.
The doctors of past generations were always worried about their social status. They were a part of an exclusively gregarious association, being more concerned about wealth and a strictly prearranged lifestyle that meant comfort, security and prosperity. Previous generations have a very difficult time understanding the ideas and goals of the current generation.
The era of community medicine, where students learn to care for the whole being and that medical care is accessible to all regardless of financial situation, has begun. A current associate professor and leader in the effort to reform the goals of medical schools and their curricula says that this country has put billions of dollars into medical care, yet the consumer will not see the available services or their health improve in the years ahead. He even believes that the overall condition of health care can become worse if changes do not occur quickly.
A certain association has been established mainly for the goal of steering med students to go into medical fields that target public health, environmental health, and preventive medicine. This organization promotes community-oriented medical activities across the nation. Attempting to modify the courses offered they are trying to include community health projects in the medical schools.
In keeping with this trend, many medical school students will graduate and choose to return to the areas serviced through these projects and establish their own medical practices. Projects include creating clinics in deprived areas. There are also many hospitals and medicals schools that are looking into increasing the numbers of minority doctors being trained.
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