The physician has long held a place of high regard in the American imagination. In our most idealized picture, the doctor is a well-trained, beneficent miracle worker. We listen attentively to the pronouncements of doctors, both the diagnoses and the casual advice. We generally pay them very well for their know-how, and a medical degree, if one can achieve it, remains a dependable path up the income ladder. Doctors enjoy great prestige because of their technical knowledge, analytical intellect, and altruistic spirit.

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A war plane belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force conducts operation flight to target trenches of Russian forces through the Donetsk, Ukraine, on May 9, 2023. (Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)