Occupation for the Blind Physician

Abstract

To the Editor:— In the QUESTION AND ANSWER section ofTHE JOURNAL( 207 :1523, 1969), I noticed a question concerning future medical practice for a physician who is gradually going blind. I should like to suggest that this physician consider a career in public health administration. There is a strong need for physicians in many areas of public health to make decisions and give advice and consultation to the numerous nonmedically trained personnel who are daily making medical decisions without adequate training to do such. This applies also to medical insurance programs and social welfare agencies. Since secretarial help is almost universally available in such jobs, a blind physician should have little difficulty in communication. I feel that if more physicians were directly involved in this area, there would be far less problems in drafting and interpreting federal, state, and local regulations and better use of scarce medical resources. I