Physicians are just knowledgeable?

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Personally, I think the statement is insulting. However, there is a societal belief that studying medicine is the "extension" of studying biology in college, and both are just programs that give you knowledge and not much else. What are your opinions, and how would you support or refute the statement?

P.S. I'm assuming the statement refers to non-surgeons
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
Personally, I think the statement is insulting. However, there is a societal belief that studying medicine is the "extension" of studying biology in college, and both are just programs that give you knowledge and not much else. What are your opinions, and how would you support or refute the statement?

P.S. I'm assuming the statement refers to non-surgeons
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I don't know of any such societal belief. If anything, i think society views physicians as geniuses who can solve (and should solve) any medical problem presented to them. That requires more than just knowledge.
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
Personally, I think the statement is insulting. However, there is a societal belief that studying medicine is the "extension" of studying biology in college, and both are just programs that give you knowledge and not much else. What are your opinions, and how would you support or refute the statement?

P.S. I'm assuming the statement refers to non-surgeons
Click to expand...

...what?
 
Lawper said:
I don't know of any such societal belief. If anything, i think society views physicians as geniuses who can solve (and should solve) any medical problem presented to them. That requires more than just knowledge.
Click to expand...

My apologies. My time is spent mostly around engineering, programming, and physical science students (most of whom are my friends), and this is their general belief. But what I meant was that at some point there was a switch to valuing someone for their skills rather than knowledge. What do you think about those who believe that physicians don't have skills, just knowledge?
 
Bored again, Batman?

LoveBeingHuman:) said:
Personally, I think the statement is insulting. However, there is a societal belief that studying medicine is the "extension" of studying biology in college, and both are just programs that give you knowledge and not much else. What are your opinions, and how would you support or refute the statement?

P.S. I'm assuming the statement refers to non-surgeons
Click to expand...
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
My apologies. My time is spent mostly around engineering, programming, and physical science students (most of whom are my friends), and this is their general belief. But what I meant was that at some point there was a switch to valuing someone for their skills rather than knowledge. What do you think about those who believe that physicians don't have skills, just knowledge?
Click to expand...

:shrug: i guess it depends on the social groups. The engineers/physicists i worked with (plus some college friends) argue that physicians need strong technical skills to be successful. They really stress on applied knowledge and efficiency, and view that just having knowledge is not enough and a recipe for disaster.
 
Goro said:
Bored again, Batman?
Click to expand...

My mind constantly runs, and doesn't stop, and I post seemingly pointless questions on the internet. Guess it's a hobby. I'd rather be annoying than dishonest/arrogant, etc. But really, doesn't everyone have flaws? Rambling on the internet just happens to be mine! (Besides, it's not like my questions are completely off topic).

But on a serious note, I'm much better in person. I promise 🙂
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
My mind constantly runs, and doesn't stop, and I post seemingly pointless questions on the internet. Guess it's a hobby. I'd rather be annoying than dishonest/arrogant, etc. But really, doesn't everyone have flaws? Rambling on the internet just happens to be mine! (Besides, it's not like my questions are completely off topic).

But on a serious note, I'm much better in person. I promise 🙂
Click to expand...
Can you let us know where you are applying?
 
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I have a low Lenny tolerance. Lenny was a guy on a hobby board I frequent who would contribute nothing but constantly asked insipid questions.

He eventually got banned. Just sayin'.

LoveBeingHuman:) said:
My mind constantly runs, and doesn't stop, and I post seemingly pointless questions on the internet. Guess it's a hobby. I'd rather be annoying than dishonest/arrogant, etc. But really, doesn't everyone have flaws? Rambling on the internet just happens to be mine! (Besides, it's not like my questions are completely off topic).

But on a serious note, I'm much better in person. I promise 🙂
Click to expand...
 
gyngyn said:
Now you know how we feel.
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With all due respect, you can block me and never have to see my threads. And there is a difference. I'm just annoying. But you were trying to trap me. Not the same thing.
 
gyngyn said:
Not at all.
I give advice every day on topics related to getting into medical school. I'm trying to get this onto a topic that is, at least, related to getting into medical school.
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My apologies then. There just seems something very threatening about a question like that.

But to answer your question, I really have no clue at the moment. I'll see when I apply in the next couple months.
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
how would you refute the statement?
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"I don't appreciate your tone, and I don't appreciate the way you are portraying doctors to actually be. I don't know where you are receiving this information from but it is inaccurate; I'm going to have to cut this interview short."
 
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You're referring to your undergrad friends, I presume? They are probably just responding to the limited bio courses they or their friends have taken. There is a huge amount of memorization in most bio classes, and very little application outside of a few upper level courses. Contrast this to physics/engineering courses which are all about problem solving from day one. They do realize that bio isn't the only major to go into medicine, right? And that those bio 101 courses are not representative of a medical education?
 
Would you prefer to be thought of as not knowledgable? Because that can be arranged.
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
My apologies. My time is spent mostly around engineering, programming, and physical science students (most of whom are my friends), and this is their general belief. But what I meant was that at some point there was a switch to valuing someone for their skills rather than knowledge. What do you think about those who believe that physicians don't have skills, just knowledge?
Click to expand...
Sounds to me like you are hanging around foolish people and it's starting to rub off. The solution is to surround yourself otherwise.
 
LoveBeingHuman:) said:
Personally, I think the statement is insulting. However, there is a societal belief that studying medicine is the "extension" of studying biology in college, and both are just programs that give you knowledge and not much else. What are your opinions, and how would you support or refute the statement?

P.S. I'm assuming the statement refers to non-surgeons
Click to expand...

Ask them if they understand what a complete physical exam with ROS is, and then give them a checklist of it and ask them to perform one. Anyone that says that physicians don't have to have "skills" and can just have knowledge is completely ignorant about how clinical medicine works and should probably educate themselves before trying to criticize the profession for not needing skills...
 
Anybody can be knowledgeable. Just because you know the steps on how to perform open heart surgery doesn't mean you can do it. And I mean that both mentally and legally, along with having the capability to do it.
 
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