Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Synapsis Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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To the Class of 1977: The status of being a student is, in some ways, an enviable one. This may be difficult to believe to those M ho have just completed four years of feeling bored, brilliant, and incompetent on an alternating basis. But there is a freedom to student status not found past graduation — the freedom to criticize the medical education and patient care system randomly without being responsible for any part of it. We all know that one never realizes the difficulty of being a parent until one is a parent him or her self. By the same token, only now that you begin to be the captain of the ship in patient care will you realize the responsibility you bear. As your authority over the care given a patient in- creases, so too, will your responsibility. When you are part of a practice that bears your name; should you find yourself in a position of didactic and or clinical teaching; when you participate in filling out the end- less forms; when you are finally and emphatically a part of the system yourself — recall you days as a stu- dent. Think back to those qualities and practices in the health care and education systems that you felt were deficient. Then you must be prepared to make a con- scious effort to be different in those areas which you once criticized in others. If there is a right to be critical of others, then there is a corresponding accountability to leam from those criticisms for yourself. I wish each of you well . . personally and professionally. a fulfilling life, both I wish you success and contentments as an os- teopathic physician. THOMAS M. ROWLAND President And I hope that you will realize that our educational and patient care systems are not only dependent upon your criticisms, but, more upon your initiative. wmt