Feelings After Viewing the TED Talk
The TED Talk “Are Zombie Doctors Taking Over America?” by Zubin Damania is one of the most interesting and provocative speeches I have ever heard. During the first several minutes, I could not get rid of the idea that every activity in which modern healthcare providers are involved is wrong.
Points of Agreement with Dr. Damania
Dr. Damania (2013) seems to give strong reasons for the next generations not to choose the healthcare field as their future profession because of its “zombie” nature and the inability to overcome some powerlessness. At that moment, I did not want to accept his position and preferred to disagree with Dr. Damania on all points. However, the second part of his speech was more inspiring and positive, following my ideas and beliefs. He admits that the current system is bad, and people cannot stop playing the game of “learned powerlessness,” but there is a way to tear down barriers and “do things for people, not to people” (Damania, 2013). Still, it is high time we change our attitudes toward health care and try another approach to collaboration.
Areas of Disagreement
Several critical issues are raised and eloquently described in the talk. Comparing the experiences of three generations (Damania’s father, Damania himself, and his daughter) proves the inevitability of family heritage. Instead of admiring the results of the work, people should identify others’ mistakes, improve their knowledge, and not repeat similar failures. In my experience, the interests of my family members considerably differ, and it is hard for me to judge the connections mentioned by Dr. Damania.
Another situation is related to the ambiguous use of technology in health care. Today, many students prefer to follow the already introduced system, make their contributions, complete tasks, and learn verified theories. According to Damania (2013), it is a question of time when the most experienced healthcare providers could miss something.
Suggestions for Addressing the Issues Raised
Addressing his thoughts and relying on my personal experiences, there should always be a line between robotized (zombie-like) people and humanized technologies. Healthcare should be provided by people so that they can cover their needs and meet their expectations. The United States is a place of multiple opportunities, and doctors must understand and accept their knowledge and use technology (never being used by technology) to reshape the essence of care for the nation. I believe that the intentions developed in the speech will be thoroughly developed with time to motivate medical students.
Reference
Damania, Z. (2013). Are zombie doctors taking over America? TEDMED. Web.