A physician is a healer, but is also more than a healer. At times, a physician may be a scientist, a counselor, or a social worker; at all times, he or she is a teacher. Physician comes from the Latin word physica, a reminder of our obligation to understand physical nature, but the title "Doctor" by which the physician is called reminds us of another equal obligation—to teach others what we have learned. In CONTEMPO '87, we try to illustrate how the links between medicine and education grow stronger each year.
CONTEMPO '87, the ninth issue in the series (which began in 1978), by highlighting the advances in medicine over the last year, serves to inform physicians about progress in specialties outside their own. As in years past, references for more in-depth reading are provided. Because of space limitations, not all areas of medicine can be included each year; those