Medical Education In The 1700's

The United States Health Care System has developed and evolved over the past three millennia. The health care industry is composed of many stakeholders, such as the “consumers, employers, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and educational/training services” ( ). Educational and training services evolved drastically over the years because physicians in the 1700’s were not trained and consumers were uninsured so they did not take preventive measures with their health. The progression of medical education in the United States has led to reform, the establishment of health insurance benefitted many consumers, and the government created many programs to allow more American’s access to affordable health care. Medical education has progressed significantly. In the 1700’s, Medical School, training, and examinations did not exist, so there was no way to ensure that “physicians” were qualified to practice. Anyone could be a doctor, even a barber. However, with a lack of medical training, barbers would “use the same blades to cut hair and to perform surgery,” not knowing that an unsterile blade can cause infection ( ). As time progressed, new laws and regulations were established to maximize the

The United States “spends 17.6% of the Gross Domestic Product on healthcare” ( ). Two programs that are supported by this gross domestic product are Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is the “federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease” (4). On the other hand, “Medicaid is a program that helps with medical costs for people with limited income and resources” (4). Without these programs the elderly, the disabled, and low income families would not be able to afford medical care or prescriptions. As a result, the health of these individual’s would deteriorate and they could possibly