Thank you for your work in helping fellow human beings. I wish to say that at the outset.. . . From the time I started medical school until when I went out on my own (USA) was 10 years! (4 school/5 residency/1 subspecialty fellowship). . .
Now, in keeping with an alt history website, I am going to push the point.
One medical school autobiography I read was Becoming a Doctor, by Melvin Konner (1987). Now, he was a guy in his mid 30s who had been an anthropology professor before going to medical school, so yes, he has some unique viewpoints. And the book focuses on the beginning of clinical rotations in his third year.
One of the slogans of the school was "see one, do one, teach one." There was a joke that the real slogan was, "see one, screw one, do one." Which got me thinking that the training was broad but shallow.
The students had trouble doing things like a spinal tap and giving "big red" (an anti-cancer drug). In a way, it was inexcusable. Now, I think the person did successfully do the spinal tap, but it wasn't a guarantee. It wasn't something they had practiced ten times like an athlete might. There seemed to be a blithe assumption that "smart" people are going to be physically dexterous, which is not always going to be the case.
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