If we work upon marble, it will perish
If on brass, time will efface it
If we rear temples, they will crumble into dust;
But if we work upon immortal minds
and imbue them with principles
With the just fear of God and Love of our fellow men
We engrave on those tablets
Something that will brighten to all eternity
Daniel Webster.
The title of the leading article can be broken down into two areas i.e., “being a Doctor” and “the Doctor as an educated person”.
In the hierarchy of degrees/titles a “Bachelor” is said to be a person who possesses some knowledge of particular subject; a “Master” is supposed to know all; and a “Doctor” should know most.
Persons who have obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) are rightly called “Doctor” by virtue of the “Doctorate” conferred upon them by a duly constituted authority such as a University. Practioners of Medicine are conferred the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery but not a Doctorate. Yet all medical practioners are honorifically called “Doctor” by the people, in recognition of the fact that they are not only professionals with knowledge and proficiency in the science and art of Medicine and are competent to care for the sick, but also that they are educated broadly in the general sciences and the liberal arts as well, and are worldly-wise. In other words, they are “learned persons” whom the sick, their families and the community turn to for advice and opinion on the lives of people, the roots of disease and health embedded in the social, cultural and economic fabric of life. Medical practitioners therefore will need to live up to the expectations and implications of the title “Doctor” which is honorifically bestowed upon them by the people in addressing them so.
A short definition of a doctor (Dr.) is one who has knowledge. We know that a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) is called a Doctor and so is a Doctor of Medicine (M.B.,B.S) Nowadays we notice that the graduates in Dental Surgery are also called Doctors and the list seems to be growing! When a person fulfils the requirements of the training programme and successfully passes the qualifying examination, that person graduates to become a Doctor. It is so important to appreciate the big difference of “becoming a Doctor” to that of “being a Doctor”. Only when that graduate can function in a holistic way to help solve the patient’s health problems in whatever environment he has to function that we can recognise the graduate as being a Doctor.
Since a Dr. is someone who has knowledge, we should try and understand what knowledge is. By definition, knowledge is an understanding, familiarity gained by experience. The range of information is so broad that is has no beginning and no end; it is limitless. The acquiring of knowledge and abilities to give intellectual and moral training (upbringing-maturity) to the person is Education. Since a Dr. is recognised as an educated individual- we should try and learn what it really means to be educated. Then only will we be able to individually try and appraise ourselves, whether we are Doctors, as educated people.
As Doctors, medical Practioners are called upon to function at various roles, especially those in far outlying places where generally the Doctor happens to be the most “educated” and “respected” person (at Township, Station and Village tract levels) Apart from being a medical practioner, the Dr. is called upon to be a Counsellor-Arbitrator-Community Leader, a Resource Person etc. These roles, the Dr. plays, not out of choice, but by the requirements of the situation at such environments and time. To fulfil these roles successfully, it is clear that a Dr. just cannot be one who has been educated in the science for the care of the sick and infirm, but also one who is educated in a broad area of sociology, organization and management, philosophy and the arts. It is these areas of learning that help in maturing the Dr.’s thinking process that will enable him to arrive at decisions, in a rational way. It is important to realise that William Osler- the father of Medicine-said that “A Doctor is a Student for life” Simply put, it means that a Dr. is dead the moment he stops learning. As we all know “life is motion”, and the moment we cease to move, we are dead. So it is very important that we consider ourselves students for life, and continue to improve ourselves by continuing to learn. What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the human soul (Addison). The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think-rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men (Beattic). The great end of education is, to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own power, rather than fill it with the accumulations of others. (T.Edwards) The whole process of education may broadly be divided into three major divisions, namely,
(1) Scientific or technical
(2) Artistic
(3) Philosophical
The scientific or technical aspect of education needs no elaboration as most of us have gone through this process of education according to one’s own volition, We have come to appreciate the importance of measurements, records and their analysis resulting in conclusions that end with action that can be assessed again. However, we would be a living dead if we do not move with the times and the changes that are taking place all around us.
The Artistic aspect of education is one aspect in which some Drs are generally weak. Reading Poetry, Literature, mythology helps one enjoy the richness and beauty of the ancients and in the development of one’s own discipline and decision; listening to classical music so that one appreciates the movements and the composer’s mind, thereby making one’s mind “finer”, getting interested in painting so that, one improves ones concentration and the art of projection. This is how one comes to know one’s own origins and environment. As can be seen, this aspect of education is also limitless with time.
The philosophical aspect of education is concerned very much with the maturing of one’s thinking process. We have our religious philosophies, we have statements and writings of great philosophers from the East as well as the West. What better way is there for training one’s own mind than by studying the writings of these great philosophers. Be it decision-making, or moral upbringing or balancing ones thought against life’s pressures, one can find shelter with the thoughts of these great philosophers and enjoy peace of mind.
If one is to study contemporary situations involving Doctors in the present world and try and consider in a wider perspective, we come to realise that there are some “qualified” doctors-who are playing quite different roles from what they had been trained for. For example, we can recall some “Doctors” who are politicians, businessmen, bankers, engineers etc.. Furthermore, some of these “Doctors” turned out to be capable of deciding or performing acts that are not considered humanly acceptable! We can look in the Middle East and the Balkans, where atrocities have been committed under the leadership of such “Doctors”. This makes one question how these few doctors came to be involved in doing things opposite to what they have been educated for.
Then again we can think of another type of “Doctor”, for example Dr. Albert Schweitzer who took up his interest in music, literature and first worked as a missionary. He took up medicine at the age of 31 and spent his life serving as a missionary doctor in French Equatorial Africa. In spite of many setbacks he gave the world his belief that all creatures were one and set forth these views in his “Philosophy of Civilisation (1923)”. In 1952 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the problem of peace in today’s world.
A thesis can be made that we need a balanced education between Scientific thought and Artistic Wisdom to guide us along our way as we serve our patients and community. It is the interest in Humanities and the liberal arts, be it music be it literature or poetry, be it art or philosophy- that makes us more refined and tender in our feelings and thought that is so essential for our profession.
In a self-appraisal way, one could ask oneself- “Am I really a Doctor?” If so, “Am I a Doctor as an educated person?” There can only be three answers. The first answer is “Yes” Then one can see how fortunate one’s upbringing has been and we have to thank our stars. But this will be a small minority. The second answer is “No”. Then it is very important to assess oneself in which aspect one is lacking behind. The area can be defined and should give one a clear strategy to work for one’s own self improvement. The third answer will be “I am not sure”. This category of Doctors Will probably be the majority. The person will have to work hard to ascertain their training so that the first part of the question “Am I really a Doctor” can be answered. Then only will one be able to assess oneself for the second part of the question “Am I a Doctor as an educated person”
The author feels that it is pertinent to point out that the above aspects of education is in a very broad sense, that the learning process of oneself is an ongoing process, that this presentation forms a broad outline for continuing education- by oneself, in one’s own time.
In conclusion, it is hoped that the respective Doctor will come to realise the areas or weakness in his upbringing. It is hoped that improvement will follow with necessary changes in one’s own self learning effort. What one needs is a strong decision to make oneself better with time, to work hard on learning relevant resource material and to develop good common sense with a strong conviction for the good and welfare of our patients and community.
Author Information
Maung Maung Sein
Retired Director General,
Department of Health Manpower, Ministry of Health
