The physician has long held a place of high regard in the American imagination. In our most idealized picture, the doctor is a well-trained, beneficent miracle worker. We listen attentively to the pronouncements of doctors, both the diagnoses and the casual advice. We generally pay them very well for their know-how, and a medical degree, if one can achieve it, remains a dependable path up the income ladder. Doctors enjoy great prestige because of their technical knowledge, analytical intellect, and altruistic spirit.
![The reentry of an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM after a test over the Marshall Islands on September 6, 2023. (US Army photo by Amy Hansen)](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_sm/public/2024-06/8059034.jpg?h=8cdf5baa&itok=YvJnMVLv)
Caption
The reentry of an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM after a test over the Marshall Islands on September 6, 2023. (US Army photo by Amy Hansen)