A recent article by Dr Gregory A. Hood examined the issue of isolation among physicians. In particular, Hood was concerned about professional isolation and posited that modern doctors found less support and friendship among colleagues than had been the case for previous generations. He also wondered whether contemporary modes of learning and practicing medicine contributed to this increased loneliness.
This led to lively, and often anguished, discussion in the comments.
Many felt that the article was spot-on and shared their own pain. An internist kicked things off:
The joy of medicine is dying, and the art of medicine is also a thing of the past... Medical school was challenging, but it could be fun. The two residencies that I chose to do were even more challenging, but the love of learning and growing as a physician made it a magnificent time... Whenever asked if I would choose medicine again, I never hesitated to say "absolutely" until three years ago. If I knew then what medicine was going to be like once I hit my 50s, I never would have chosen this.
A urologist also recalled better days:
The hospital used to be a place to interact: I would call a referring person with my consultation recommendations and discuss the patient's care with nursing.
