Doctor’s identity in modern Western society

Two centuries ago doctors perceived themselves quite differently as they do today Doctor’s identity in modern Western society shaped from the modernization of medicine starting in the nineteenth century Modern medicine as practiced today was established from 1800 to the World War I In the eighteenth century three medical groups (physicians surgeons and apothecaries) struggled to elevate their position and to organize their education Surgery and surgical education in hospitals developed greatly while physicians tried to theorize their own medical system in the eighteenth century In the early nineteenth century hospital medicine emerged hospitals moved from the place for the poor and the social inadequate to the center of medical education and research Especially French hospitals became the birth places of clinico-pathology new diagnosis with stethoscope careful observation and the numerical method The influence of the hospital medicine spread from France to England America and other parts of Europe　After the birth of clinic in France laboratory medicine emerged in Germany France Britain and the United States Surpassing other nations Germany developed university-centered laboratory research system Most of all the reward and status of the laboratory researchers were established so that they could concentrate on their research Although other countries were influenced by German system and knowledge they did not develop research system at the same degree as Germany Rise of scientific medicine transformed self-perception of doctors Science made a great impact not only on the doctors’ practice of medicine but also on the public’s perception of medicine and doctors In the late nineteenth century new discoveries and new armament of scientific medicine marched through antiseptic surgery tropical medicine new laboratories antitoxin therapies from immunology the rise of pharmaceutical industry and the discovery of X-ray Payment system also was changed with the rise of national health insurance system in Europe　Finally the advancement of scientific medicine in the late nineteenth century brought changes in medical education specialization and doctor-patient relationship One of the important changes in doctor-patient relationship occurred between female patients and male obstetrician In the mid-eighteenth century childbearing as expressed in the term “brought to bed　” was women’s business Midwives and women relatives took care of laboring women As scientific medicine arose male doctors began to enter the laboring room previously forbidden area to men As Leavitt showed