The Lost Vocation of Medicine: From Calling to Commodity

 Joseph Varon reflects on how the practice of medicine has transformed from a noble vocation into a business-like commodity. He shares personal experiences and observations about the gradual decline of the sacred trust in the doctor-patient relationship, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Initial Idealism in Medicine: As a medical student, Varon felt that medicine was not just a career but a high calling linked to tradition. He valued the trust patients placed in doctors, viewing it as a profound responsibility rather than a transaction.

2. Shift to Business Model: Over time, medicine became increasingly commercialized. Physicians began to be called "providers," patients became "consumers," and healing was often overshadowed by bureaucratic processes, billing codes, and insurance regulations.

3. Erosion of Vocation: This transition did not happen suddenly; it was a slow process involving the growth of administrative roles and corporate influences within healthcare. The once deep connection between the patient and physician has been compromised, with medical training focusing on compliance rather than compassionate care.

4. Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic starkly illustrated the decline of medical vocation. Instead of caring for patients, many doctors adhered strictly to bureaucratic protocols, compounding patient suffering and eroding trust in the medical profession.

5. Crisis of Trust: Patients sensed the loss of genuine care from their doctors, leading to a crisis in trust. Instances of doctors following government guidelines instead of advocating for patients further alienated the public from the healthcare system.

6. Calls for Reclaiming Vocation: Despite the current state of medicine, Varon believes it is possible to reclaim the vocation of medicine. This requires confronting administrative pressures, prioritizing patient care, and nurturing the compassion that originally drew individuals to the field.

7. Challenges to Restoring Hope in Medicine: Acknowledgment of the personal sacrifices required to practice medicine as a vocation is necessary. Many may risk losing jobs and status while fighting against a system that prioritizes profits over patient care.

8. Collective Responsibility: The responsibility to restore the integrity of medicine lies not just with physicians but also with patients, students, and society as a whole. Patients must demand better care, while future doctors must resist conformity to oppressive systems.

Joseph Varon emphasizes that the essence of medicine as a vocation is crucial to the future of healthcare. It requires courage to uphold compassion and individual judgment amidst bureaucratic pressures. By valuing the sacred trust between doctors and patients, the medical profession can navigate away from its transformation into a commodity, aspiring to be a revered calling once more. This restoration is seen as vital for ensuring trust and integrity in healthcare, emphasizing that the heart of medicine is worth fighting for.

https://brownstone.org/articles/the-lost-vocation-of-medicine-from-calling-to-commodity/