BMJ 2002;325:718 ( 28 September )

Reviews

Between aspiration and reality

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

New guidance for medical schools has recently been issued by the General Medical Council. Polly Toynbee thinks the document has been written to refute the old complaints about arrogant, god-like consultants. She says that if new doctors come out of medical school imbued with the ethos of the guidance then we might expect a new generation of hypersensitive and thoughtful doctors, but she warns that human nature is bound to intervene

What makes the perfect modern doctor? The General Medical Council has drawn up new guidance for medical schools as a framework on which to base their curriculums and assessments. Tomorrow's Doctors (see www.gmc-uk.org/) is an idealistic compendium of the best qualities every new doctor should acquire. If medical schools could indeed turn out doctors moulded to this template, then we should expect a new generation of scholar saints and gentle scientistswise, knowledgeable, sensitive, collegiate, humble, and good . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

The path to safer patients

Jonathan Gornall
BMJ 2006 333: 906-911. [Full Text] [PDF]

Reviews give further views
BMJ 2002 325: 0. [Full Text]

The BMJ 's wild goose chase
BMJ 2002 325: i. [Full Text] [PDF]

What's a good doctor, and how can you make one?

Brian Hurwitz and Alex Vass
BMJ 2002 325: 667-668. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Metcalfe, N. H (2008). The making of a good doctor: a qualitative assessment of the views of a general practice manager. InnovAiT 1: 528-532 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Gornall, J. (2006). The path to safer patients.. BMJ 333: 906-911 [Full text]  

Online poll

Find out more >>