Barbara Russell
Consider this conversation from the first episode of the popular television show House, M.D.
Foreman (a neurology fellow): "Shouldn't we be speaking to the patient before diagnosing?"
House (the hospital's diagnostic specialist): "Is she a doctor?"
Foreman: "No, but ..."
House: "Everybody lies."
Cameron (an immunology fellow): "Dr. House doesn't like dealing with patients."
Foreman: "Isn't treating patients why we became doctors?"
House: "No, treating illnesses is why we became doctors. Treating patients is what makes most doctors miserable."
Foreman: "So you're trying to eliminate the humanity from the practice of medicine?"
House: "If we don't talk to them, they can't lie to us, and we can't lie to them. Humanity is overrated."
Continue reading Should television programs be used to teach health care ethics?.
