THE HUMANISTIC OBJECTIVES OF MEDICAL EDUCATION

   Medical education should prepare students for life as professionals. Professions differ from other careers in that there is a tradition of morality and of the protection of public wellbeing that is transpired with the practice of specialized skills. In medicine specifically, there are codes of ethics dating back to the days of Hippocrates and the ancient Greeks. There is the idea of professionalism as a catch-all term for virtues like duty, honor, integrity, accountability, and respect. It is only fitting that students studying to enter a professional field be exposed to these kinds of expectations and not only the science of medicine. Lessons in professionalism and medical ethics will help provide the grounding needed to make the complicated decisions they face later on as physicians and should be integrated throughout medical education. Students should also develop strong skills in communication and teamwork to become respected physicians.