By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    4 Reasons Why Medical Device Compliance Matters
    May 22, 2020
    What To Know About The Importance Of Healthcare Marketing
    November 23, 2019
    healthcare courses
    6 Supplemental Courses in Healthcare to Support Your HR Degree
    August 20, 2021
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Flexibility: A Necessary Skill of the 21st Century Doctor
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Flexibility: A Necessary Skill of the 21st Century Doctor
Medical Education

Flexibility: A Necessary Skill of the 21st Century Doctor

Bryan Vartabedian
Last updated: October 24, 2022 6:58 pm
Bryan Vartabedian
Share
4 Min Read
doctors should be flexible
SHARE

When medicine visionary Eric Topol spoke at Baylor College of Medicine in 2012, a faculty member asked him, “What will be the most important quality of a physician in the digital age?” Topol promptly responded, “Flexibility.”

Medicine, technology, and communications are advancing almost faster than our ability to learn about them. Progress is happening beyond the rate of any institution’s ability to make rules. When we think we have the professionalism and ethical issues figured out, a new tool appears that operationally challenges the foundation of how doctors work and interact with patients. Our institutional processes for figuring these things out are based on analog workflows moving at the speed of committees, task forces, and peer review.

Topol was spot-on. As individuals in changing times, we must be flexible. Flexibility in time should also come with flexibility of services. Nowadays we all wish to consult a specialized doctor, someone who has had experience in the issue we are dealing with. This is why you need services like ArabiaMD, where you will find your specialized doctor, and get your appointment within your availability of time.

The way we see our place in the world has to change. Where we’re going may not be what you signed up for. The sooner we get over that, the sooner we can be can find our new place and begin to fashion the solutions necessary for progress. We can fashion those solutions, or we can sit back and let someone else do it.

More Read

Is Your Doctor a God or a Guide?
BioPharma Beat: Is Commercial Support of CME A Bad Idea?
Professions of Interest in the Medical Field
Physicians Leaving – Things Just Aren’t Working Out Between Us….
Quality and Cost Savings Through Consumer Engagement

We’re on our own. As physicians, we will need to figure things out as we go. We have to be open to entirely new ways of doing things. We must be nimble to adapt to the changes happening around us. The medical leaders of this generation will be those on the fringe with the vision, versatility, and flexibility to see how medicine can be better with the tools that are emerging. We must be open to new places where leadership and change may emerge.

We’ve got to teach ourselves. Because we’re on our own, we need to teach ourselves. Medical school curricula and CME won’t be able to keep up.

We might learn from the maker movement and the hackers. How can we take what’s here and fashion a solution? How can current technology be re-tooled or adapted to improve patient care or doctor-to-doctor communication? Most flexible thinking and disruption in medicine will come from the private sector. Smart doctors will have the ability to see what’s possible and drive the application of this technology in our world for our patients.

In many ways, flexibility is the antithesis of the physician. Rigor, order, process, and protocol represented the rigid framework of our profession. It may also be its downfall if we fail to adapt, change, and grow.

(How flexible are you? / shutterstock)

Original Post

TAGGED:Physicians
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Physician-Led Advocacy Group Strives for Diversity among Its Profession

February 28, 2012

Applying to Medical School – Do You Know What Your Digital Footprint Looks Like?

April 22, 2013

Are Women Doctors Contributing to a Doctor Shortage?

June 16, 2011

Match Day Looms, Can Primary Care Once Again Show Gains?

March 15, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?