Demise of the stethoscope

Medical practice has undergone a massive drift over the past several years. With the advent of modernization and technical advancements in both diagnostic and therapeutic fields, bedside clinical skills have suffered a setback. Increasing patient load in the hospitals, administrative commitments of the physicians, and need to get superspecialty fellowships are some of the factors which preclude resident teaching, which, in-turn hamper their long-term clinical skills and influence the patient-doctor relationship. In this perspective, I narrate my own experience regarding changing attitude of the younger generation of doctors toward patient care and also describe the role of a mentor in shaping the believes and practices of his medical students. Using real-world examples, I further discuss the obstacles which hamper good medical practice and suggest possible ways to overcome some of them.