Doctors in Boston

There is a small grouping of bright, accomplished religious doctors who are interested in the humanities in the Boston juggernaut of academic medicine. These include Sherwin B. Nuland and Jerome Groupman. I once attended Dr. Nuland's lecture on medicine reflected in art history. It was an gem of a presentation and well supported by images of artwork.

"The features of this stage of life are of particular interest these days to Nuland, who recently published his tenth book, “The Art of Aging: A Doctor’s Prescription for Well-Being.” The book is a departure for the 76-year-old former surgeon, who also wrote the 1994 National Book Award-winning “How We Die,” which detailed the physiological processes that lead to death. Now, in a book more philosophical than medical, Nuland provides advice on “achieving a kind of harmony with the real circumstances of our lives.” More at http://www.forward.com/articles/11490/

Some of Nuland’s latest thinking was influenced by another writing project, a biography of Moses Maimonides he wrote for the Nextbook/Schocken Jewish Encounters series. Nuland recognized that the teachings of the medieval physician-rabbi have affected how Jews view the body, even today. Maimonides helped disseminate religious and cultural traditions that place responsibility for health in the individual’s hands." I read this book and it is a good introduction by someone who appreciates Rambam as a physician and historical force but without knowing his lomdus or deep appreciation of his philosophic contribution.

Jerome Groupman is an observant physician, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Chief of Experimental Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and one of the world's leading researchers in cancer and AIDS. He is a staff writer for The New Yorker and has written for The New York Times and The Washington Post. He is author of The Measure of Our Days (1997), Second Opinions (2000), An Anatomy of Hope (2004), and the recently released, How Doctors Think. There are references to his observance in some of his books

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I don't know how to quite relate to this phenomena.  On one hand I am pleased that these physicians are creating a Kiddush Hashem. On the other, hand, as R. Yochanan told Reish Lakish, "Cheyleich l'oraisa". Should not such obvious talent have been utilized more in exploration of our Torah, within the context of medicine or outside it? Isn't it a loss to Jewry that some of our best minds sunk all or most of their prodigious intellectual powers and talent into secular spheres, to the near exclusion of our rich and life-giving heritage, Hashem's gift to all of us.

Comments

[Ariel]

1) Some people have outstanding skills in one area, perhaps medicine, but not another.

2) It's not like they became tax lawyers. Potentially saving thousands of lives by becoming "one of the world's leading researchers in cancer and AIDS" should not be a stain on anyone's resume.

[avakesh]

Yes, by all means. But these worthy individuals are delving into medicine... and humanities.