First Things First in Medicine †

After introductory comments and some words of caution regarding certain modern trends in medical education, I shall set down, as I see them, the items of prime importance in the education and character of those who aspire to high endeavor in medicine. Scripture tells us that the Lord spoke out of the whirlwind to his servant, Job, saying: "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" Lest you chide me in similar fashion, I must present some credentials. I began participation in medicine forty-seven years ago and have thus observed the careers of a goodly number of students and house-officers in whom I have been keenly interested; there have been a few apparent failures but many successes far beyond the commonplace. Since my retirement from University activities in 1952, I have served as an official of the Committee on Education of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is an organization of physicians certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. In 1946-47 the Academy conducted a survey of child health services in the United States and Canada. As a part of this survey, there was an evaluation of pediatric education. This latter task was performed by a distinguished alumnus of the Yale School of Medicine and its Department of Pediatrics, now Dean of the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. John McKenny Mitchell. As one outgrowth of this appraisal of pediatric education, the Academy established a Committee on Education. Among its other activities this Committee sponsors group conferences of the