What if you discovered some useful medical information or invented a breakthrough treatment for an illness but told no one about it -- could you justify that? The dilemma posed by this question was anticipated more than 2,000 years ago by Hippocrates. His oath for physicians was based on an ethical code of conduct and, with some updating and modernization, is now incorporated into the Code of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association. That Code says doctors have an affirmative obligation to share their knowledge.

WHY PHYSICIANS WRITE BOOKS

Physicians have an obligation to share their knowledge with other physicians and with the public. When you stop and think about it, this makes sense. From the time of Hippocrates, and even before, physicians have had an ethical duty to share knowledge because by doing so they benefit humanity. Withholding new knowledge, research findings, or useful health information is contrary to the Code of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association (Section E-9.08).

One of the reasons physicians write books is to share knowledge with other physicians and medical professionals. Another reason is to share knowledge with the general public. Both purposes are embraced by the AMA Code of Medical Ethics. So maybe writing the health book that’s been on your mind is more than a pipe dream -- maybe it’s an ethical responsibility.

Some doctors feel that they shouldn’t try to write a book because they were trained to provide medical help not write. This might actually be an abrogation of responsibility. Your book doesn’t need to be great literature to get published today -- the only thing that’s critical is that the book be based on a good idea. Most physicians have more than enough ability with the English language to get a nonfiction book published by a major publisher. In some cases a ghostwriter can be called in to help with the manuscript. Sometimes a co-author can assist you with the mechanics of putting the book together.

Whatever your level of writing skill, doctors who have book ideas -- and what doctor doesn’t -- may wish to fulfill their obligation to their profession and to the public by writing a book.

THE PHYSICIAN’S DUTY TO EDUCATE

The physician’s duty to educate and inform the public appears in numerous other ethical codes. For example, it is part of the Code of Ethics of the International Federation of Sports Medicine, which states, “Sports medicine physicians are obligated to educate people of all ages about the health benefits of physical activity and exercise.” (Section 7). Many sports physicians have fulfilled their obligation to educate the public by writing articles and books. But there certainly is room for more dissemination of the idea that physical activity and exercise are valuable.

The AMA’s separate Declaration of Professional Responsibility, adopted in the aftermath of 9/11, contains yet another reference to the physician’s duty to educate the public. It states that doctors have a responsibility to “educate the public and polity about present and future threats to the health of humanity.” (Section VII).

HOW PHYSICIANS CAN WRITE BOOK PROPOSALS

Once a physician realizes that there is an ethical responsibility to share knowledge with the public, especially knowledge that is not well known, it becomes easier to contemplate the idea of putting together a book proposal. After all, a book proposal is the best way for a physician to get his or her foot in the door of the publishing world. And putting together a book proposal need not interfere with your other responsibilities. It can be done in a spare hour here and there. But there are three things a doctor must keep in mind when setting out to write a book proposal for a health book.

First, there may be competition, so it’s important to research similar books on Amazon before you begin. Second, even if there are comparable books on your subject, it may still be possible to sell your book idea if your approach is significantly different or if your information is more up-to-date and useful for a modern audience. And third, you’re going to have to tone down the medical language for your audience. Put the more difficult concepts in footnotes.

Physicians who have written inspirational books recently include Terry Grossman (Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever, co-authored with Ray Kurzweil), Stephen Sinatra (The Coenzyme Q10 Phenomenon), and Burt Berkson (Alpha Lipoic Acid Breakthrough). If you have an idea for a book, maybe now is the time to start putting together a short book proposal that might change your life and the lives of your readers.

Copyright © 2007 William Cane