Challenging the Status Quo in Medicine

How to Think

If there’s one overarching problem with society today, it’s that we are not taught to think. But worse than that, we are taught what to think, and even worse than that, we are taught what to say. Whatever your individual views are on a particular subject, keeping an open mind and a critical, discerning eye remains crucial if we want to arrive at the truth.

According to pediatrician Dr. Larry Palevsky, to be truly pro-information, we must continually question the status quo and use different lenses to analyze widely accepted information.

Despite what our education or the “experts” have told us, information is hardly ever final, and the science is very rarely “settled.” To weed out biases, errors, and misinterpretation of facts, we must continually reevaluate, reassess, and reexamine information, as that is truly at the core of the scientific method.

How to Learn

Further, Dr. Palevsky explains why the healthcare industry is often the worst proponent of critical thinking, as an education in medicine leaves little room for reflection or speculation. We know and learn information in three basic ways: intuition, firsthand experience or observation, and external input from what we’ve heard or read.

Unfortunately, the medical field relies almost solely on the third method of learning, and functions by regurgitating information without ever wondering how legitimate or pure the information actually is, or how trusting the authority is or their intent.

“I’m pro information. I’m in favor of looking at the information and evaluating it, assessing it, making sure that there are two sides or even three sides to look at and just delving into it and seeing what really might be going on. And that’s the scientific method.”

Dr. Lawrence Palevsky is an NYS licensed pediatrician who utilizes a holistic approach to children’s wellness and illness. He received his medical degree from the NYU School of Medicine in 1987, and received his pediatric board certification in 1990, and passed his pediatric board recertification exams in 1997, 2004, and 2011.

In his current pediatric practice, Dr. Palevsky offers well-child examinations, consultations, and educational programs to families and practitioners in the areas of preventive and holistic health, childhood development, lifestyle changes and safe and alternative treatments for difficult-to-treat conditions.

Additionally, Dr. Palevsky teaches holistic integrative pediatric & adolescent medicine to parents and medical and allied health professionals both nationally and internationally.

Connect with Dr. Lawrence Palevsky

Website: Northport Wellness Center