observations on medicine Now that I am retired (nearly) from medicine after more than half a century of practicing medicine I thought I might share my observations and musings with those needing it and those practicing it. These are observations and therefore subjective, and though others may differ, they are not meant to offend anyone.
Medicine has come a long way (to use a cliche) since I started practice. Near miraculous discoveries and cures have alleviated miseries and dire illnesses. But it has come at a great cost physically, emotionally and financially. And are we better off? Every bench mark of our measure has shown improvement. Infant mortality, lifespan wiping out of diseases which wiped out swaths of populations are some of the many successes. But the cost too has been immense. In its path to success it has changed the practice of medicine practically entirely. Made it from human to mechanical, personal to impersonal, acceptance to arrogance, care to a commodity and from a profession to a trade. This is not nostalgia but a fact as I will try to elaborate later
