Thanks to The News for publishing the Oct. 7 article about Gov.George Pataki signing a bill that will require physician profiles ona state Web site. Such an Internet resource is long overdue.Currently, there is no convenient means for the public to learnabout a physician's track record, and such information can haveconsiderable value when choosing a doctor.
I find it peculiar, however, that a physician's place ofeducation will be listed along with such relevant data asmalpractice judgments and criminal convictions. While medical schooladmission standards are varied, all physicians must pass thenationwide medical board exams in order to obtain their licenses.Therefore, they are all ultimately judged by the same standard. Theparticular school a physician attended should not become an overlyimportant criterion when choosing a doctor.
It would be much more valuable to know how long that physicianhas been practicing without any civil or criminal judgments againsthim. The University at Buffalo Medical School produces outstandingphysicians every year, and I am quite sure that the only realdifference between many of them and those who attended Harvard isthe amount of financial aid they will have to repay.
JOHN D. LOPINSKI
Amherst
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