New to forum and Objectivism

[EvolvedThought]

Greetings one and all. After a couple of days of reading through what is perhaps the most intelligent dialog I've read in quite some time on this forum, I thought I would introduce myself.

I am a first year dental student living in Kansas City, with my wife and 3 year old daughter. This past summer I read several Ayn Rand novels and non-fiction and something about this philosophy struck a central nerve with me. The past few years, I have been struggling without a central philosophy, with little guiding my daily actions.

I've been working though objectivism to try to become a better human, but am struggling with many of the steps.

My first question I have to the resident objectivistsm is one regarding life in public service. Ever since I started becoming interested in the health care field, I have been bombarded with the 'selfless' service requirements of the health field. My question is, how am I as, as a person supposedly 'devoted' to the selfless service of medicine, how do I deal with the social stigma of being an egoist in overwhelmingly altruistic career field.

I feel like I'm ranting, but I'm only beginning in this field, so please bear with me.

[softwareNerd]

Welcome to OO.net

..., I have been bombarded with the 'selfless' service requirements of the health field. My question is, how am I as, as a person supposedly 'devoted' to the selfless service of medicine, how do I deal with the social stigma of being an egoist in overwhelmingly altruistic career field.

When I think about the only two dentists I've ever had, selfless service was not their outstanding quality. My current dentist funds a small college scholarship for local high-school kids, but I doubt any or many of his patients go to him for that reason, only because he is competent. In fact, he is good enough to get a premium over what insurance companies will pay. I assume being a student is different from being a practicing dentist, but I just wanted to start with that to point out that the future can be bright.

I'm not sure what "selfless service requirements" are for dental students. However, students in other areas have some community service requirements, and my advice there would be: if it is really a requirement get the most out of it. Do not do it sulkily. Forget the philosophy of those who sent you to (say) help at an old-age home. Instead, tackle the job as a job, do the best at it, and learn from it. Be selfish about extracting whatever you can even from the things you're forced to do.

[EvolvedThought]

That's true, many established, practicing dentists are able to practice with self-interest, I find it exceedingly difficult to practice this way while being a student, and before getting into school for that matter.

Whenever someone asks why I got into the health field, I do explain that it's the best way for me to make a living that I enjoy, and that the expected salary is a HUGE draw to the field. That is opposite of what patients expect and want to hear (for the most part). I plan on just concentrating on my work and letting my product and treatments speak for themselves.

I suppose I just am struggling with the adoption of a new philosophy and complete world-view change. I know it won't be easy, and I'm hoping this forum will help.

[Dante]

Whenever someone asks why I got into the health field, I do explain that it's the best way for me to make a living that I enjoy, and that the expected salary is a HUGE draw to the field. That is opposite of what patients expect and want to hear (for the most part). I plan on just concentrating on my work and letting my product and treatments speak for themselves.

Yes, a lot of people draw a dichotomy between caring about money and caring for the patients. In actuality, however, caring about money and caring about doing a good job in your profession both come from the same root, self-interest. This isn't commonly understood, because it's commonly accepted that the "selfish" strategy when faced with work is to skate by, doing as little as possible. Understanding this misconception will help you to communicate better to your patients that you do, in fact, care about doing a good job and taking pride in your professional performance, and that "enjoying your job" is not the same, in your mind, with slacking as much as possible.

[CptnChan]

I am reminded of a line from The Fountainhead movie. Not sure if it's in the book.

"To get things done, you must love the doing, not the people. Your own work, not any possible object of your charity"

As long as you love the work you do, and you get paid for it, how can that be, by any definition at all, "selfless"?

Just remember that most of the time, when people say an act is selfless, they really just mean that the act was not easy for the person. Or that in some way it "put them out" (Long hours, no meals, spending more than the usual time on a project in order to solve it). All they need to say is that the person really did value whatever act they did. It's a highly overused term.

[JeffS]

in overwhelmingly altruistic career field.

I'm surprised to read this. I know one doctor personally and he is not in the least interested in being altruistic. He informs me his opinion is not the minority. In addition, I've read several op-eds from doctors which lead me to believe the medical field will be the first to "shrug."

On what do you base your belief that the medical field is becoming "overwhelmingly altruistic?"