

It grows out of a conference sponsored by the McGovern Center for Health, Humanities, and the Human Spirit at University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center in the sum-mer of 2007. This ground-breaking book is the first to look carefully at issues of faculty health and well-being. Recent trends in bioethics have emphasized concern for the patient as a whole person, but very little attention has been paid to the legitimate needs and concerns of physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals. However, we are beginning to see the results of ongoing stress. Dedicated to the missions of research, teaching, and care, our faculty have responded well to these challenges and perform at a very high level. Medical school faculty, previously given funded time for teaching and research, are increasingly drafted to bring in clinical revenues to cover their salaries. Since the 1990s, academic medical centers in the United States have lost the financial margin they once enjoyed, thereby putting new pressures on research, education, and clinical care. Increasingly, they are asked to do more with less.

Today, there are roughly 135,000 physicians, scientists, and other faculty work-ing at approximately 125 academic medical centers around the country. This growth is due in large part to the dedication and productivity of our faculty, who are providing more patient care, more research, more teaching, and more community service than ever before.

The signs of growth are everywhere-in new research buildings, new part-nerships with industry, new forms of molecular medicine, and new sensitivity to the role of the human spirit in healing. In the 21st century, academic medical centers across the United States continue to make scientific breakthroughs, to make improvements in patient care, and to pro-vide the most advanced information and guidance in matters affecting public health. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden.The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identifi ed as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of going to press, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made.

This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Humana Press, 999 Riverview Drive, Suite 208, Totowa, NJ 07512 USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. © Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009All rights reserved. Library of Congress Control Number: 2008931180 Stribling Distinguished Chairįor Cancer ResearchThe University of Texas M. GritzDepartment of Behavioral ScienceOlla S. Thelma Jean GoodrichDepartment of Behavioral ScienceThe University of Texas M. ColeMcGovern Center for Health, Humanities,Īnd the Human SpiritUniversity of Texas-Houston Medical
