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Medical practice is based on probabilities, not certainties — from the likely course of an illness to the hoped-for performance of a drug. An increasing body of literature suggests that clinicians who are unable to make their peace with the unknowns of medicine become increasingly frustrated and unhappy with the profession.
In 2019, researchers administered an 18-page online survey to all active clinical medical faculty in a single large Massachusetts medical group. A single item concerned medical uncertainty: “I find the uncertainty involved in patient care disconcerting.” Other items ascertained professional and personal details and various well-being metrics. The survey had a better than 90% response rate (respondents received a financial…