Future generations will remember our present era for its revolution in biomedical discovery and practice. A near doubling in life expectancy and the cure of diseases previously untreatable reflect this seismic shift. Embracing the scientific method in research and practice fueled this change. Well-known but often overlooked, this method underpins modern bioscience by providing a ratcheting directional engine that advances knowledge and clinical care. Medicine has always been scientific, but it is also a practical art. Historically, its teaching relied on experts passing knowledge to students in the master-apprentice model. The modern emergence of evidence-based teaching, rooted in the scientific method and realized through clinical research, has led to countless new discoveries and improved outcomes. Central to this revolution lies a willingness to test and challenge doctrine, including appraising how to collect, analyze, and validate scientific evidence itself.
Joshua LaBaer (Wed,) studied this question.