Address at National Chang-Kung University Medical College at the 15TH Anniversary.
| 5. |
Respect
the patient as a person, as having commonsense,
though he may not have much education. Acknowledge
that you do not know the answers to all his questions.
An attitude of intellectual pride is a common
weakness in doctors ("the doctor knows best,"
"the doctor will decide," "the patient does not
need to know"). Rather we doctors should treat
our patients in the spirit of humility. |
| 6. |
Calmness,
equanimity, is required in the face of unexpected
events. Suppose your patient becomes suddenly
worse-what should be done? The doctor must keep
calm even in stressful circumstances. Most doctors
have to try and learn it. It is a valuable quality. |
Lastly, my friend's
letter says doctors should be "interested in other
people." Interest in other people often is a social
activity, but it may be a concern for the people with
special needs; that is "humanitarianism." Webster's
Dictionary defines humanitarianism as "having concern
for, or helping to improve, the welfare and happiness
of mankind."
Here are some examples
of humanitarian work in Taiwan:
| 1. |
During
the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, there were
many opium addicts. Professor Tu Tsung-Ming specially
helped them. In 1900 there were 169,000 opium
addicts (6.3% of the population). In 1942 there
were 6000; these disappeared in 1945. |
| 2. |
After
the war, Dr. Hsieh Wei knew that there was much
TB in the aboriginal people, so he built a special
hospital and out-patient clinic for them in Pu
Li and treated them himself. Dr. Hsieh also knew
that the seacoast people in Changhua Hsien were
poorly served medically, so in 1956, he started
a clinic in Erh Lin specially for those people.
He was overworked and was too tired that one day,
on the way to his clinic in Erh Lin-he fell asleep
at the wheel of his car and was killed. He gave
his life for those people. |
| 3. |
The
Mennonite Hospital in Hualien was started in 1948
to give treatment to the aborigines in the mountains.
|
| 4. |
The
Tzu Chi Hospital and Medical College were started
to serve the needs of the people on the East Coast
of Taiwan. |
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