EDITOR’S CORNER
Alfred A. Bove, MD, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, CardioSource WorldNews
Physician-writers: One of the
First Hyphenates in Medicine
I
n the academic world, we are compelled—as
both duty and obligation—to produce new information on a continuing basis and propagate information through the written word. In academia,
the written word has become the coin of the realm.
Describing new science, writing chapters or entire
books on scientific findings, opining on the value
of new research: all of this adds to our reputation,
garners respect from our peers, aids in scholarly
promotion, and gives us an edge when competing
for research funding.
For many investigators, writing endures as the
least enjoyable part of academic life. The thrill
of discovery, the presenting of new findings in
front of our peers at a conference, passing on our
knowledge during grand rounds; often, this is all
much more preferable to the effort required to
write a full scientific article. When we do write
a journal article, it is with the idea that we will
provide new information to our colleagues and
allow them to improve their understanding of our
physical world.
But what about writers whose purpose is to entertain with a good story that will hold a reader’s
attention throughout the narrative? Many wordsmiths use examples from real-life experiences,
such as the military, business, or sports, while
others are masters at creating stories that entertain children. In all cases, the writer needs to first
create a concept of their story in their head, then
fill in details, and get to the chore of taking all
their concepts and converting them into the written word. If a writer wants to create good stories
from past experience, there is nothing better than
the world of medicine to find a wealth of ideas
that can be wound into great fiction. For centuries,
physician-writers have made significant contributions to the world of literature through works of
fiction and poetry.
Great writers are keen onlookers of life; often
expending great effort to observe the world. With
our constant exposure to patients and their afflictions, life literally parades past us on a daily basis
(sometimes around the clock). In our unique position as clinicians, we witness the broad spectrum
of human behavior, through individual responses
to the stresses of illness or a cured malady, the
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CardioSource WorldNews
joys of a newborn child, functional recovery from
disability, and—outside of the office—the weddings
and funerals that leave permanent memories of our
interactions with the patients we care for. No wonder doctors take to writing. There is so much to say,
so many experiences that can be the basis of short
stories or full novels.
So how does a physician turn into a writer, poet,
novelist, or screenwriter? Inspiration must come
from within. A compelling desire to tell
the stories we have lived, a desire to entertain,
or a desire to spread an important message or
lesson beyond a small circle of colleagues or
students. Physician writers can be traced back to
antiquity. Notable examples extend from Copernicus in the 13th century, Vesalius in the 14th century,
Jenner in the 16th century, Conan Doyle in the
19th century, to the many contemporary writers
who are also physicians. Their contributions have
deepened our experience in medicine, not by adding to scientific knowledge but by enriching our
own experiences through the vision and imagination of physician-writers.
Ultimately, many of us will be tempted to write
stories that are not just a report of scientific data,
but rather tales drawn from our experience and
perspective. How does a physician start a career in
nonscientific writing? Some will write a complete novel from an idea that has been brewing
for months or years. Others will retire from their
clinical work or take a sabbatical to acquire the
time and tools to create the story they find that
must be told.
What’s a good case study if not a story? Some
physician-writers start out writing short stories,
sometimes inspired by individual patient experiences. However the writing emerges, feedback from a
friend or colleague will improve the work and help
in creating the next story. If you have a compulsion
to write a story, do it. If it is an interesting story, we
will all want to share it. ■
Alfred A. Bove, MD, PhD, is professor emeritus of
medicine at Temple University School of Medicine in
Philadelphia, and former president of the ACC.
June 2016