From my own observation, it's pretty clear that American culture views the practice of medicine as extremely respectable. Being a doctor is a very prestigious profession, and this message is certainly conveyed in the media where doctors are always shed in a positive and helpful light. It is also a "hip" profession, which I can see from the dozens of television shows that exist today that concern doctors, hospitals, and the practice of medicine.
Being someone of Asian-American descent, I can especially see this is true among the Asian community. I have so many friends whose parents want them to become doctors, or at least emphasize what a great profession being a doctor is in today's society. To the Asian mindset, being a doctor is extremely respectable not only because you are helping others, curing illnesses, and saving lives, but it also brings in a very respectable salary where you can support your family and your parents. Especially in today's job market and economy, where many people are struggling to make ends meet, making $40k or $50k a year is hardly enough to support a middle-class family and make ends meet. Probably not only Asian parents but people from many different races also view being a doctor as a great profession. After all, it's a double whammy: you make a good salary but at the same time you are helping people in a great way.
Certainly, this view of the practice of medicine is political. Since doctors are revered and seen as respectable and also very knowledgeable, this gives them a lot of power. I read a very insightful book this past year called "How Doctors Think." I remember it mentioning how patients often times don't question what their doctors say when they give advice, and instead take for granted that whatever their doctor says MUST be right. This is dangerous, because doctors are simply humans like us who can make mistakes. What patients often don't do is ask their doctors questions to better understand their own health, and instead hold their doctor in a very high regard where they apparently "hold the answers to everything."
Doctors also have the power of swaying opinion. For example, in one of the medical ads I was sorting through to choose for my Writing Assignment #1, it shows a doctor promoting a cholesterol-reducing medicine that he uses himself. Just the fact that he uses the medicine gives it credibility because he is a well-known doctor. This is an example of someone that practices medicine giving a product accountability/reliability.
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