Review of The Virtuous Physician

[Sean Lopez]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Virtuous Physician" by Elliott B. Martin, Jr..]

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5 out of 5 stars

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'The Virtuous Physician: A Brief Medical History of Moral Inquiry from Hippocrates to COVID-19' by Elliott B. Martin, Jr., is a wonderful volume that offers insight into the search for and creation of medical ethics by delving deep into the historical and philosophical roots of the practice of medicine, tracing its journey from ancient times through contemporary periods to present day Covid Pandemic. In the end, we find the narratives of present medical practice are still resonant — his analysis demonstrates that virtue, compassion and ethical obligation have persisted over time.

The best part of the book is connecting past wisdom to modern-day needs. The authors combine a compelling examination of history with contemporary problems for a new angle on medicine, underscoring the need for more than scientific aptitude in patient care — also moral character. In this essay, Martin uses examples from the Peloponnesian War and Albert Camus' writings on the crisis to argue that ancient medical wisdom persists as a guide for managing struggles with global health and policy issues during conditions of a pandemic like COVID-19.


Personal illustrative stories, humour, and practical examples from everyday life make the book easy to read and understand. However, some readers might find it difficult to grasp the technical terms related to the medical field if they are not medical professionals. Still, the book is approachable, and medical professionals and medical ethics scholars can learn much from it. Overall, this book is well-researched and thought-provoking work that successfully bridges the gap between medicine and the humanities.

The book was edited flawlessly and professionally, as there were no typos or grammatical errors. I will rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for all the reasons mentioned above. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of medicine and the ethics of practicing medicine.

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The Virtuous Physician
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