Authority in the Healing Professions, Essay Example

Joralemon uses the theories of social authority and cultural authority to discuss another consideration underneath Medical Anthropology.  Sociologist Paul Starr is credited for creating these two concepts of authority and the author uses these concepts to create a advanced discussion of how authority plays a major role in the medical field.  These forms of authority are often related to how medical authority figures gain their power and are able to tell patients medical diagnoses, treatment methods and other pertinent information.  These two sources of authority give these professionals the ability to offer recommendations for medical treatment and often the authority forces patients to follow through with the proposed treatment.  Again, the two sources of authority are social authority and cultural authority, and each provides a much different way in which medical professionals are able to utilize their training, knowledge, skills or opinions to make a difference for patients.

First of all, Joralemon states Starr’s definition of social authority and contrasts this concept with his definition of cultural authority.  First of all, “Social authority involves the control of action through the giving of commands, while cultural authority entails the construction of reality through definitions of fact and value” (Joralemon 69).  As the text illustrates, often social authority is provided primarily to individuals with positions of power.  Depending on the culture, this may be different, but in the United States, these positions of power in the medical field are usually doctors, nurses or medical assistants.  While this power grants individuals that have attained specific titles authority, cultural authority is different.  This authority can be awarded through cultural objects.  These objects and their overall importance can change depending on the culture, but they are often published medical journals and research.  While social authority is more in the title, cultural authority uses the foundations of research-based information to provide authority in the medical field.

Social authority is best for third-world cultures because the authority does not require medical research and biological evidence to provide medical treatment.  A shaman or other indigenous healers are able to offer medical treatment to patients because of their position of power alone.  While these individuals still undergo some form of treatment, it does not necessarily require that medical treatment and training is technologically advanced.  The people trust the authority of the indigenous healer because of their position of power alone.  On the other hand, cultural authority would be best suited for Western medical professionals and healers because of the advancement of training for these professionals.  All treatment methods and diagnoses are based on proven research methods.  Medical journals and other documentation provide these professionals with the ability to learn and communicate professional findings to support decision-making in the field.  While social authority provides healers with the power to make a decision simply based on the position of power, cultural authority requires that healers are knowledgeable, trained and experts in the field.  Without this authority in the Western medical profession, patients will likely distrust their doctors and nurses and choose to go elsewhere for treatment.  This type of research, training and knowledge is seldom found amongst indigenous healers, but it is often required by law in more-advanced cultures because of the need for cultural authority.

References

Joralemon, Donald. Exploring Medical Anthropology. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010.