Most doctors are not scientists, Ben Carson paper bag edition
Most doctors are not scientists, Ben Carson paper bag edition
Dr. Ben Carson: A perfect example illustrating a surgeon who doesn't know his own limitations and thinks his pronouncements on science are valid.
Early in the history of this blog, I had a running gag that I’d use every now and then. Basically, it involved humorously extravagant descriptions of how I wanted to hide my face behind a paper bag in sheer embarrassment at the antics of fellow physicians, particularly fellow surgeons. Over time, the gag evolved to my expressing a mock desire to hide my visage behind a metal Doctor Doom-style mask, again, over sheer embarrassment over the idiocy of my colleagues about a scientific issue, again, usually evolution. Sadly, creationist physicians are a very common source of such embarrassment, although I don’t write about them very often any more. They are perhaps the best example to illustrate a point that I’ve made many times: Most physicians are not scientists. While it’s true that being a scientist is by no means a guarantee that one will not be taken in by pseudoscience, it helps. Worse, a disturbing number of physicians fail to abide by Harry Callahan’s wise admonition in Magnum Force:
All too many physicians do not know their limitations, especially with respect to science.
As time went on, I used the gag less and less. As is the case with a lot of gags, it became harder and harder to think of new ways to use it without becoming too repetitive. So it appeared less and less and less, until finally it appeared no more. Indeed, I don’t remember the last time I used it. There was also another issue that contributed to the demise of this recurring joke. I started to encounter physicians with ideas that were worse than just not believing in evolution because they were beliefs that could result in direct harm to patients. I’m referring to the “rise” (if you can call it that) of physicians spewing antivaccine beliefs, doctors like “Dr. Bob” Sears, for instance. These physicians are physicians who betray their profession—and, even worse, their patients. It just wasn’t that funny to me any more.
I’m starting to get that same old familiar feeling about Dr. Ben Carson. Whenever I see him, I want to put a paper bag—or Doctor Doom mask—over my face, the better to hide my shame at a fellow surgeon’s idiocy.
I find the resurrection of this particular feeling in me to be particularly disturbing not just because Carson is a Presidential candidate, thus providing his scientifically ignorant pronouncements far more publicity than they deserve, but because he truly was a magnificent pediatric neurosurgeon. I don’t know if I’m mentioned this before, but I work mere blocks from the Ben Carson High School of Science and Medicine. It’s part of the Detroit Public Schools for students with an aptitude for science and was founded in 2011, before Dr. Carson began his descent into pseudoscience, at least publicly. Back then, Carson was known as a truly gifted—brilliant, even—pediatric neurosurgeon, the chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. When Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008, believe me, he deserved it.
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http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2015/09/24/most-doctors-are-not-scientists/
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