The Vanishing Physician-Scientist? (The Culture and Politics of Health Care Work)

About this book

Throughout history physicians have played a vital role in medical discovery. These physician-scientists devote the majority of their professional effort to seeking new knowledge about health and disease through research and represent the entire continuum of biomedical investigation. They bring a unique perspective to their work and often base their scientific questions on the experience of caring for patients. Physician-scientists also effectively communicate between researchers in the "pure sciences" and practicing health care providers. Yet there has been growing concern in recent decades that due to complex changes physician-scientists are vanishing from the scene. In this book leading physician-scientists and academic physicians examine the problem from a variety of perspectives: historical demographic scientific cultural sociological and economic. They make valuable recommendations thatif heededshould preserve and revitalize the community of physician-scientists as the profession continues to evolve and boundaries between doctors and researchers shift.