Author Description

When I was growing up a visit to the doctor ended with a simple diagnosis and a shot or a prescription. To my recollection my parents never questioned a diagnosis or the treatment. The patient was treated as if he or she was ignorant of medical matters. By the time that I reached medical school not much had changed. It was not until the medical-legal revolution of the late 1970's that some physicians began treating patients as partners in their own care. I firmly believe that if we educate the patient within a framework that he or she can understand and relate to, then the outcome of their treatment will be more successful. My solution to the crisis in the delivery of medical care in this country is to bring back the teaching of health and hygiene at every level of primary and secondary education and make it mandatory for all students. In essence we need to educate our people to be their own health care providers. Doctor Kivett was born in Coral Gables, Florida. He travelled extensively in Central and South America. His father was chief of operations for TACA Airlines. His maternal grandfather was the doctor for the Standard Fruit Company in La Ceiba, Honduras. He graduated the eighth grade at the American School, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with salutatorian honors and completed high school at Miami Military Academy with valedictorian honors. He received his B.A degree from the University of Florida. Enlisted in the U.S. Navy flight program in Pensacola, Florida and earned his Wings of Gold in 1966. He subsequently flew with Patrol Squadron Five in Jacksonville Florida for four years. Returned to the University of Florida in 1971 and received his Bachelor of Science degree; followed by his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1978. He then entered the Family Practice residency at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. During his tenure there he spent 8 weeks studying tropical medicine at the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory in the Republic of Panama. He was subsequently transfe