<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

The training of mediacal students consists of 2 major stages

1. stuff their heads with as much background information
anatomy, physiology biochemistry, pathology etc etc

2. expose them to actual clinical situations where they are supposed to
draw on that info to explain/ treat the patients problem.
This process may lead to loss of curiosity in the face of lack of time
and sleep and the need to come a diagnosis rapidly.  The trend toward
managed care where a doctors effectiveness may be measured by howmany
patients he can treat himself at the lowest cost with teh least use of
consultants will likley make the trend worse.  The same push for fast and
dogmatic answers occurs in countries where there is limited access to
medical care and greatly overworked doctors.

Humility is a trait that has not been in high regard in modern culture
and does not seem to be prized in individuals who have major
responsibilities such as lawyers,business executives, or doctors.

All we can do in academic medicine is to try to teach the value of
humility in our daily endeavors to our students.  We cannot diagnose
everything, treat everything, or understand  everthing about the human
condition. There is often more than one right answer and many wrong ones
previously taught as dogma.

Not medical advice
Joe Murray
University Of Iowa