The convergence of the traditional sociomedical and the contemporary biomedical paradigms: is it possible?

Abstract

This essay lays out some thoughts regarding the social healing practices that coexist with scientific Medicine in Venezuela, pursuant to
what has been expressed by expert doctors, young specialist doctors and users of the healthcare services in the Socialist Venezuela of the
21 st century. The interest of such research focused on interpreting with a critical spirit the meanings of the medical discourse regarding the
characteristics of scientific and pre-scientific medicine, as well as the users’ experiences who combined scientific medicine with
traditional medicine practices in the search for a solution to their health problems. I took the critical analysis of discourse described by
Teun Van Dijk as core of the investigation. I found differences between medical voices: While expert doctors centered their attention on
the importance of scientific Medicine, its achievements, challenges and contradictions, thinking about the need to apply scientific
medicine in order to reveal truths hidden by traditional practices, young doctors focused their attention on the supremacy of scientific
training during medical education, the discrimination suffered by traditional healing practices under medical training and medical
practice, as opposed to the frequent use of traditional healing practices in the rural and urban populations they have assisted. The
concerns expressed by users of the healthcare services revealed a complementary coexistence of Medicine and traditional practices. To
conclude, the horizons of change that might a complementary coexistence be useful for the reconstruction of the Healthcare System in
Venezuela were presented: Critical & Theoretical Integration of the Contemporary Biomedical and Traditional Sociomedical Paradigms
from an interdisciplinary point of view.