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The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
TO THE EDITOR:
In medicine and health care, it is, to quote Dickens, “the best of times and it is the worst of times”—a time of unsettling change, challenge, and opportunity. Yet, it is and always will be a privilege to be a physician and have the opportunity to prevent illness and to care for the sick. I have read and heard much about the problems in our profession and its decreased attractiveness among young persons. Yet, more and more people are applying to medical schools. New physicians will not be hampered by preconceived notions of the “good old days” in medicine. They will adapt better to the changes than many of us have.
Those choosing and chosen to pursue a course in medicine have special obligations because they are given extraordinary opportunities. With increased opportunity comes increased responsibility and obligation. I propose that all medical school graduates (in the United States, there are 125 medical schools with approximately 18 000 graduates per year) and international graduates serve for 2 years in some state or federal health care program that could supply some of the care to the uninsured. Physicians could be phased into this program after their training, and compensation could be provided at a reasonable level, with debt reduction or forgiveness of loans from medical school as an added feature.
Are others equally blessed and should they also feel an obligation? The answer is yes. Lawyers, engineers, and business school graduates have also benefited greatly from our democracy. Perhaps a judge-advocate corps could be developed, and lawyers could serve as public defenders and prosecutors to provide relief for the overburdened court system. Engineers could build homes and restore our inner cities, roads, and bridges and could develop new transportation systems. Our business graduates could work in various areas to improve all our lives—perhaps aiding in the educational process of our students.
Is this such a novel approach? Not really. It asks that, in different forms, those who have benefited the most and are most likely to continue to benefit should contribute more.
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
