Larry Churchill and Nancy King discuss the image of the physician in American society. Historically, physicians were viewed as “captains of the ship,” responsible for all that happened within the scope of their supervision. Yet in the 1980s—as a result of technological, legal, and economic considerations, together with consumer choice and patients’ rights—the image and social mandate of American doctors are undergoing clear and important changes.
At the time of this interview, Churchill and King were members of the Department of Social and Administrative Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.
