LiveScience.com has reported on a study in the September issue of Psychiatric Services which finds that psychiatrists are the least religious of all physicians. The study's lead author, Farr Curlin of the University of Chicago, hypothesizes that psychiatry's historical roots in anti-theism may have something to do with religious medical students choosing not to go into the field. This is a good sign. After all, if a patient tells his psychiatrist that he's hearing the voice of God in his head, it's probably best if the psychiatrist doesn't buy into the delusion as well. There is one disturbing statistic in this study, however. Among the 1,144 physicians who responded to the survey, 25% said they would refer a mentally disturbed patient to a clergy member. Are doctors writing prescriptions for Hail Marys now?
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Godless Psychiatrists
