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What is a good doctor? The impact of ‘fruitful irrelevance’ in medical education

Pages 447-448 | Published online: 21 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

Medicine is a science and evidence-based profession. Therefore, medical education and training should offer optimal conditions to help students to become a medical expert. However, in order to become a ‘good doctor’ the development of additional skills should also be stimulated. By including subjects like philosophy of science, medical history and sociology, the link between literature and medicine, and other ‘unrelated and irrelevant’ academic subjects, medical education programmes can stimulate that future doctors will broaden their mind. This will contribute to their professional performance.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jan C.C. Borleffs

JAN C.C. BORLEFFS MD, PhD, is internist and Professor of Medical Education and Dean of Education at the University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, The Netherlands. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Dutch Journal of Medical Education.

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