In the last episode in a series, Thomas Ballantine, William Bennett, John Curnutte, Allen Dyer, and Chase Peterson discuss medical ethics topics which include the allocation of time and money in the practice of medicine; physicians handling multiple responsibilities; and burnout among doctors and other professionals who face demands on their time and energy. They close with thoughts about whether a liberal education is (or is not) necessary and important for doctors, and mention some associated principles of professionalism. John Agresto joins the conversation.
At the time of this interview, Ballantine was professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. Bennett was chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Curnutte was a research fellow in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and the Sidney Farber Cancer Institute. Dyer, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center (1981-82), was professor of psychiatry at Duke Medical Center. Peterson was vice president for health sciences at the University of Utah. Agresto, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center, was special programs officer at the Center.
This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.
