Part III: Reformers in medical education and practice

Abstract

Background Part I (Can J Plast Surg 2000;8:25–29) established that standards of professional practice shift constantly. When a standard falls short of professional expectation, or when a physician becomes more concerned with financial gain than patient care, society needs the action of a reformer. Part II (Can J Plast Surg 2001;9:59–68) continued the study with the contribution of reformer John Hunter (1728–1793), followed with the contributions of seven other reformers, and concluded with Wilder Penfield (1891–1976). Part III extends this project through the greater part of the 20th century. Study Design Reformers were scientists who were selected because they conformed to the definition of ‘reformer’; namely, a person whose action restored, reshaped or changed the structure or ideology of medical practice. Results This survey demonstrated that the reforms were accomplished by scientists who possessed critical judgement and analytical qualities that enabled them to influence the direction of medical education and practice. Conclusion Reforms have been achieved through intuitive leaps, alterations of conventional practice, painstaking research and administrative restructuring.