Dr. Germ: the future of medicine 

The field of medicine persists through time due to its prevalence: humanity will always succumb to illness and injury in which healthcare advancement and technology will remedy. Though one might believe that the future of medicine centers around a cure, the future of the field depends on making healthcare more accessible to everyone, to alleviate illness as a whole. 

Research, being the forefront for medical innovation allows for exploration of the human body, and methods in which can be applied to humans in order to save more lives. For example, recently a family member of mine faced a cardiac event in which a transplant was discussed. This relative however was not able to receive blood transfusions due to religious delineations of being a Jehovah’s Witness. Years ago this decision might have been the end all be all, but in the last 15 years, bloodless transplants have been achieved through extensive research and clinical trials at UChicago. 

Besides advancement in the clinical aspect solely, medical training is the next area of expansion in the field of medicine which can greatly improve the standard of care provided to patients. Through training professionals to improve communication within the patient-physician relationship, diagnosis and treatment can be reached more efficiently, including that patients’ concerns are received and factored into the clinical process. Most prominently in women’s health and in mental health considerations, a patient’s testimony can serve as the basis for treatment as subjective information can be the only information provided to the care team. By acknowledging the existence of pain, or even the research that some have used to self diagnose, a provider can validate a patient’s concern and lead them to betterment of their condition. 

Through the intersection of increased patient care training, and increased stimulation of clinical research, the future of medicine will strive to not only better the patient experience, but make care accessible to greater populations. The goal of healthcare and medicine as a whole is to provide aid and care to everyone, and with the future generation of healthcare professionals garnering passion about patient betterment, and a thirst for greater medical knowledge, the presence of illness and injury will be remedied by qualified caretakers.