Wisdom in medicine

Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc. 2011 Summer;74(3):12-7.

Abstract

The pathway to wisdom is a crooked one. Doctors have many opportunities to become wiser, and may do so in different ways and to different degrees. We suggest several means to facilitate their passage. There remains an additional key step. Seeking wisdom should become embedded in the culture of medicine. This may follow from the types of activities discussed above. We believe that wisdom is underrecognized as a life goal for medical practitioners and teachers. It is the pinnacle that every doctor should strive to achieve.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel*
  • Clinical Medicine / standards*
  • Ethics, Professional
  • Humans
  • Physician's Role*
  • Physician-Patient Relations / ethics*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians' / ethics*
  • Quality of Health Care
  • United States