Medical students experience the ills of the health system firsthand

The New York Times had an article today about how medical students at the University of Washington spent their summer in underserved rural areas and clinics, where they learned firsthand about the ills of the American health care system. The students not only learned about how busy these clinics are, but also about the realities of reimbursements, matching prescriptions to Wal-Mart's $4 generic list, and ordering extra tests as protection against lawsuits.

The education the University of Washington medical students received working in those clinics cannot be found in any textbook or lecture. Seeing how the problems in the health care system affect real patients has the potential to open eyes and spur these young soon-to-be doctors to action, whether that action be advocacy for their individuals or advocacy on a policy level. And seeing how the health system affects patients will help prepare physicians to communicate and empathize with their patients as they navigate their way through the system and to good health.