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The Health of America:
Individual Responsibility
Student Handout
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DR. BENJAMIN S. CARSON,
Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Born into poverty, when he was eight, his father abandoned the family. His mother was a domestic who
eventually sparked his love of learning. He was transformed from the "dummy" of his fifth-grade class to the top scholar of his school. He dreamed about being a
doctor and entered Yale on a scholarship then graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School. At age 33, he became the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery
in the nation, where he developed techniques that have saved hundreds of hopelessly ill children. This pioneering surgeon is the recipient of many honors in tribute to an
extraordinary role model who has "overcome rage, racism and poverty" to live the American Dream.
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DR. DEEPAK CHOPRA,
Pioneer in mind-body medicine whose best-selling books include "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind," that further explores the mental-physical linkup to health,
happiness and longevity.
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DR. FRANCIS S. COLLINS,
Director of the National Center for Human Genome Research. The human genome project is a 15-year multi-billion-dollar effort to locate and map every gene in human DNA in
"one of the most important undertakings in the history of biological research."
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DR. HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR.,
Professor of the Humanities and Chairman of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University.
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STANLEY C. GAULT,
Chairman and Chief Executive of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and member of the Business Hall of Fame.
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DR. ANTONIA NOVELLO,
former Surgeon General of the United States.
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DR. STEVEN ROSENBERG,
Chief of Surgery at the National Cancer Institute.
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The constitution guarantees to all of us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But where do we draw the fine line between individual freedom and
responsibility to the society at large?
Individuals do not always act in their own best interest. People smoke, take illegal drugs, and engage in high risk sexual activities. Men abandon their children;
pregnant women smoke crack. The toll on the individual is dramatic. What does such self-inflicted abuse cost America?
At issue is the need to reconcile the right to pursue happiness with the obligation to serve our fellow human beings. Hard questions are faced. What are the ethics of
indulging in habits that clearly have been identified as putting one's health at risk? How can we make this country a better place for everyone - a place where those able
to take responsibility for themselves and others do so, while those who are unable to help themselves receive the assistance they need.
Academy members discuss the health of our nation's social fabric with a broad perspective that focuses on prevention, individual responsibility, and bioethical concerns.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS!!!
A wide variety of volunteer organizations exist across the nation.
Find the mission of the following groups. Are they operating in your community? What contribution can you make?
- Meals on Wheels
- Big Brothers and Sisters
- Habitat for Humanity
- Salvation Army
- VISTA
Here is one example of a search using this tool. Open the Webcrawler . Key in the word "volunteerism." The result will be a list of 25 or more sites related
to your search. Click on the "San Francisco Bay Area Volunteer Information Center." Then choose the "American Red Cross." What information can be found
along the way?
Citizenship in today's America is a demanding responsibility.
Check out the following World Wide Web sites:
After you watch the program, respond to these questions, either in a group discussion or written paper:
1. What responsibilities do we have to ourselves and to our society for the health of America?
2. What benefits/problems can society expect from the information generated by genetic testing?
The service sector offers a myriad of career opportunities for people with a variety of talents, skills and abilities. Here are some examples. Pick one that interests you
and explore it as a career possibility. What does the person do on a daily basis? What educational background and work experience is necessary? Where is the work done?
What are the rewards? You may be surprised by what you find!
- Cardiologist
- Counselor
- Dietitian
- Fund Raiser
- Lobbyist
- Medical Secretary
- Minister
- Occupational Therapist
- Pediatrician
- Photo Journalist
- Politician
- Principal
- Public Defender
- Registered Nurse
- Social Worker
- Soldier
- Speech Therapist
- Teacher
Current employment opportunities can easily be found on the Internet. For example, use the Yahoo search tool and select the following topics: Health, Employment, and
MedSearch America.
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