While no one can quarrel with the notion that the world needs more and better graduates in science, technology, engineering and maths, it would be a mistake to assume that non-STEM disciplines are wor
I greatly enjoyed your article. There's no question at all that a good grounding in the "liberal arts" gives you a better perspective on the STEM world. Steve Jobs attributes much of the visual appeal of his early Apple devices to his exploration of fonts and typography during his brief college days. We also know of his sojourn in India, seeking spiritual knowledge. I remember reading some time ago (I can't find the reference) that a sizeable number of leading company CEOs were philosophy (read as critical thinking) majors. In my field of healthcare, the best doctors are those who can empathise with patients, not those who have won academic medals and honours. As AI threatens to take over a large part of decision-making in medical practice, the main role of a physician of the future will be their ability to provide emotional support—a trait that can only be acquired through study of the humanities.
You might be on to something, when you talk of empathy. It appears that patients who were treated by women doctors die and get readmitted to hospitals at rates that are lower by statistically significant levels
Yes, Arun, that paper got a lot of traction as did an earlier one that showed that women surgeons had better results than their male counterparts. Here is the link, in case you or any of the readers would like to read more. Surgeon Sex and Long-Term Postoperative Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Common Surgeries - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2808894
Great article. Especially interesting for somebody like me who studied English Literature, but worked mostly on data and policy issues!
I greatly enjoyed your article. There's no question at all that a good grounding in the "liberal arts" gives you a better perspective on the STEM world. Steve Jobs attributes much of the visual appeal of his early Apple devices to his exploration of fonts and typography during his brief college days. We also know of his sojourn in India, seeking spiritual knowledge. I remember reading some time ago (I can't find the reference) that a sizeable number of leading company CEOs were philosophy (read as critical thinking) majors. In my field of healthcare, the best doctors are those who can empathise with patients, not those who have won academic medals and honours. As AI threatens to take over a large part of decision-making in medical practice, the main role of a physician of the future will be their ability to provide emotional support—a trait that can only be acquired through study of the humanities.
You might be on to something, when you talk of empathy. It appears that patients who were treated by women doctors die and get readmitted to hospitals at rates that are lower by statistically significant levels
Yes, Arun, that paper got a lot of traction as did an earlier one that showed that women surgeons had better results than their male counterparts. Here is the link, in case you or any of the readers would like to read more. Surgeon Sex and Long-Term Postoperative Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Common Surgeries - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2808894