THE MAKING OF A PHYSICIAN: A PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH

Abstract

The subject “The Making of a Physician: A Person-Centered Approach” is important today because of the current changing health care environment, where the practice of medicine is being increasingly influenced by growth in science, technology, high cost, rising expectations of the people, and other powerful market forces emerging from the globalization process, which have put medical practice at cross roads. The essence of medicine lies in the therapeutic relationship between the doctor and the patient and our attitude to our patients. It is the person in totality that we are interested in both in health and disease. In reality, the relief of suffering and the cure of a person must be seen as twin obligations of the profession, and true dedication to the cure of the sick. The cure of disease is influenced by our scientific knowledge and growth of science, while the relief of suffering is guided by our compassion to the patient and sharing of patients’ suffering and feelings.