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Essay Name       : 602.txt 
Uploader         : Eric Apt-Dudfield
Email Address    : ganga@nai.net
Language         : English
Subject          : Education
Title            : David Black's book Medicine Man
Grade            : 85%
School System    : High School
Country          : USA
Author Comments  : Book Report on David Black's book Medicine Man
Teacher Comments : None.
Date             : 10/10
Site found at    : IRC
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David Black's book Medicine Man chronicles Aaron Kenigsberg's third year 

of medical school. In the process of describing his hectic life it teaches the 

reader three very important things. It educates the reader about the future of 

medicine, it shows how dedicated a doctor must truly be, and it contrasts the 

medicine of the past with that of the present and future. 	

	Aaron Kenigsberg's entire third year of medical school seems to be one of 

harried excitement. The constant activity which Aaron and his fellow students must 

endure teaches the reader a very important thing about doctors. Doctors must be 

extremely dedicated to their profession. If they voluntarily undergo four years 

of sleepless nights and non-stop days, then they must be dedicated. Black does 

an excellent job describing the constant influx of patients that stream in and out 

of Aaron's life. Despite these horrible pressures Aaron manages to do quite well 

throughout the book.

	Overall, this book, with its essays illustrating the effects of medicine 

on the mind and spirit, begins to truly enlighten the reader on what the future of 

medicine will be. It proves that sickness, and the subsequent recovery, depend largely

on the psyche of the patient. In other words, if the patient is convinced the sickness

will persist then he will not recover, and vice-versa. Therefore, it can be determined

that it is just as important, if not more so, for the doctor to have a large body of 

technical knowledge. This is a very interesting idea in today's impersonal world of 

huge health care plans and unknown doctors. It is also very interesting to note how much

medicine has and is currently changing.

	One of the most interesting aspects of the book is its description of the current 

revolution in medicine. It contrasts the relative helplessness of Aaron's father, who became a 

doctor in the late 1960's, to Aaron's increasing omnipotence. Twenty years ago, Aaron's father 

learned how to comfort and care for his patients while Aaron is learning not only how to 

comfort his patients, but how to cure them. Black compares what Aaron would/could have done 

in a particular situation to what his father would/could have done in that same situation. 

	After reading this book, two things become apparent. David Black is an author of 

great skill and this book was written in order to help educate the reader about the changing

state of medicine. A little thought on the Aaron's situation and the changing state of medicine

provokes the following idea: until the human mind and body are completely understood, medicine 

will continue to be a very inexact science. 
 
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