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A competent doctor must also cultivate sensitivity in her interactions with
patients, which is founded on a thorough understanding of herself and her own values,
as well as imaginative insight into the problems and situations of patients' lives.
Doctors must be able to integrate scientific knowledge of disease and therapies with an
understanding of the individual patient, as well as exercise sound clinical judgment in
determining what would be beneficial to this patient with this particular problem at this
time in his life.
There’s more to being a physician than memorizing biology textbooks or
knowing when to order a scan. Recognizing that a background in psychology and
sociology is as critical to delivering effective, equitable health care as understanding
biology.
