According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), the word doctor has its roots in the Latin words doctus and docere, which mean “teacher” and “to teach.”
As physicians, we sometimes tend to forget our role as teachers. Each day, our patients, nurses, residents, medical students, and others ask us questions that require and deserve answers and explanations.
We must remember that we are healers and educators. We have chosen a profession that depends on our ability to teach. Not only are we teaching people how to care for themselves and for others, as osteopathic physicians, we are also responsible for teaching osteopathic medical students and residents how to care for others in our shared tradition.
It is critical that we develop the skills and experience necessary to become good teachers as soon as possible, and that we retain a lifelong commitment to improve upon our skills and experience throughout the course of our working lives. We must live up to the title the osteopathic profession has given us: doctor of osteopathy, which also means teacher of osteopathy.
Those who aspire only “to get the day over and done,” or simply to see as many patients as possible, have perhaps forgotten what it is that they have set as their life's mission.
Although some within the profession may have made a deliberate decision not to teach at a college or university, there is still an opportunity for clinicians to stretch their skills beyond diagnosis and treatment—to discussing disease processes and unusual cases with students or residents they may encounter, for example, or fully explaining the administration of medications and their potential adverse effects to patients. However, there is a Chinese proverb that says, “A teacher can but lead you to the door; learning is up to you.” Those who become good learners will become good teachers. Learn to become a good teacher, and teach to become a good learner—and start early. Bring the profession to a new level.
I want to take a moment to encourage everyone—but especially osteopathic medical students, residents, and program directors—to take time out of their busy schedules to learn and to teach. The best way to teach is to set an example for others. Become that example, especially for those who will become the future of the profession. It is my hope that my fellow doctors of osteopathy will choose to recommit to our life's mission: becoming teachers of osteopathy.