Bijan Teja, Koop Scholar, Dartmouth Medical School

There are many facets to practicing medicine. A doctor must be a learner, a teacher, a scientist, a diagnostician and a healer at the same time. My ultimate goal as a doctor will be to help my patients maintain their health. I have learned that although knowledge and competence are critical, a doctor’s ability to persuade and motivate can also have a significant impact on the health of his or her patients. Bad prognosis is commonly linked to smoking, alcohol or substance abuse. It is also too often linked to poor compliance in taking medication or visiting the doctor. I think that a doctor’s work counseling and teaching a patient can be among the most important factors in determining the health of that patient.

More: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dcare/koop/dms.html