SUNY Downstate Medical Center - Iatros Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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; « !: ' „ ' ' l S? ' ! ■ » aor (■laiiEifMi ». ilk Hi of office to Dick Nixon, who coine(| ft phiase silent majnntv to represent his siippojtfir B m And ni New oik |olin Lindsay decided to tak§ - e another crack at tli ' second tou ' hest job in America. The Fall of 1969 brought the exci tement of the World Champion Mets as well as a rather dull mayoral race as Lindsay was reelected— almost by default. Protest resumed toward die lingering Viet- nam war and, in response. President Nixon began a slow dismantling of our Asian war machine. Aims limitation talks began with Russia and in one giant leap for mankind, man walked on tlie moon. These past four years have also seen the Rip Van Winkle that was American medicine slowh come to life. Asleep since the Flexner Report, medical education awoke with a start amid lu ' gings for ex- pansion and curriculum revision. Another slumber- ing giant, the AMA, moved into the political areria and, in the face of criticism in its own ranks, pans to reexamine American medicine. Federal and State government met rising medical costs witli programs of assistance only to have the costs spiral sti higher, creating new medical needy. Prosperity has spawned a new kind of physiciai one who chooses a specialty rather than general practice, not only because it allows him to more nearly master an aspect of medicine, but also because it may allow him more regular hours, vaca- tion time iuid, perhaps, increased profits. While die specialist is more capable of handling tk ' patient referred to him, he is less able to fulfill the image created by his predecessors one and two genera- tions ago. The result of this apparent loss in dedica- »- ?; t» t vt

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Lesle KreiKmiin was one of the students in the Student Health Organization deep- ly involved in the SHO ' s Student Health Project during the summer of 1968. The following is taken from an article in the New Caducean Commentary of October 1968 which indicates some of the prob- lems that SHO experienced, and also gives some hints as to the reasons for its present difficulties. SHP ' s merit is that it has a vital educational function, while pro iding some useful services. It extends beyond the curricula of most medical and health science schools, especially in the interdis- ciplinary team approach and the field of community medicine. The patient is seen not in the context of the hospital ward, but in the wider context of his total environment. Yet, these reports conclude that SHO and SUP of Greater New York are as yet inadequate in philosophy and structure. Before entering a community, one must know why he is going, whether he is wanted, and exactly what he will do when he gets there. This calls for a program which is prefera- bly a continuing one for which good groundwork is laid in the winter months. This would help avoid a generalized confusion of goals and inordinate concern with the authoritarian structure that has plagued the SHP workers. SHO seeks to have its members become not harsh, cynical critics but originators of ideas and solutions, not fearing engulfrnent by an outmoded system but becoming objective as they acquaint them- selves with it. To this end, tlie reports conclude that SHO of Greater New York needs to become better defined, to divide labor more ef- fectively, to seek financing from go ernment and private sources for summer projects early in the year. Periodic evaluative discussions and the help of professional and community people would help achieve these goals. To ensure a transition staff tlie students should generally be chosen for the summer SHP from the project area. Projects should be planned so as not to require needless repetition at community expense. Ill South .-y ' rica, a little known cardiac surgeon became famous o ernight. Christaan Barnard performed the first human -to-human heart transplant. In a year later to be remembered for its turmoil, the Pueblo was captured by North Korea. Gene McCarthy announced he would be a candidate for the Democratic party ' s presidential nomination and his success in the primaries led Bobby Kennedy to throw his hat in the ring. George Wallace rose alarmingly from the South. Johnson announced he would not run. Assassination— King and Kennedy. Nixon and Spiro who? were nominated in Miami while HHH prevailed in riot torn Chicago. That same . ugust, Russia invaded Czechoslovakia. Excavation for a gym in Morningside Heights became the spark for student revolt at Columbia. .Mark Rudd and the SDS occupied campus buildings and forced the University to close. So inspired, other campuses reverberated with student demands and campus unrest took on a more forceful meaning. September, 1968, opened the school year, but New York City teachers refused to answer the bell. They went the way of other city employees and struck for higher wages. Hair opened on Broadway and contributed more to popular music than any show since ' My Fair Lady. The DeGaulle era ended. The Jets won the Superbowl. Boston won the NBA playoffs and there was hope for a third-place finish in a six-team division for the Mets. Earl Warren administered

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t I f ' iiiif mil mil mil ini ' ' r liiilniiimnim If lit If ' ' i!inlunSiiim fffff I ' isissssss -, Hon and very real loss in doctor-patient relationsl is a decline in prestige for the medical professionT We live in a science-fiction age and the mystique of medicine does not impress as it did formerly. In recognition of ' the necessity or family physicians, the AMA recently created a general practice specialty willi residency training in inter- na! nu-dicine. surgery, pediatrics and ps)cliiatr ' . This program ai:)pears most aimed at peer accei)- tance of general practice in the face of medical schools ' emphasis on specialization. It is hoped that by strengthening peer image as well as background, the trend away from general practice will be reversed. The role of the physician is in a rapid phase of evolution. He seems headed for greater conrnumity in ' ol ement, pn bably more on a political ;md ci it association level ratlier than through work in the ghettoes. At Downstate, we have seen exidence of student interest in all three of the above areas. The anti- ' ietnani war group and Biafra Medical Relief are two o rganizations showing shong commitment to world events. Tlie Student Health Project in the summer of 196S made slight impact on Brook] n ' s poor, but marked impact on the medical students involved. Student participatiori on committees and in curriculum e ' ahiation and revision point to interest on the part of physicians-to-be in local pohtic. In five or ten years, the Class of 1970 will begin, perhaps, to project a ne - image to those it serves— an image forged in ideals, tempered by daily frustration and sharpened by pride in being a physician.