Although an ethical framework that takes seriously develop ment of the virtuous life, of morally good people, is of crucial importance today, it cannot be direct assistance in formulating an Applied Normative Ethics, that is, in clarifying and applying guidelines for moral decison-making in the actual practice of the professions virtues or traits of character which see, essential to and implied by the practice of medicine (respect, caring, compassion, sensitivity to the needs of others, intergrity and the like) are either assumed to be present in the adult professional to some degree or are usually held before professionals in their training as composing the model of the "good doctor or the "good nurse". Individuals who possess few of these qualities by the time they reach adulthood probably ought not be permitted to enter medicine in the first place, but unfortunately there are few character tests given for admission to medical training. This may be one of the problem of modern medicine that more emphasis is placed on scientific and technological ability and knowledge than on the human qualities of those who possess them They In any case, virtues and the virtuous life cannot be commanded. are acquired from childhood on as a matter of learning, encourage ment, habit-formation and through the observation of admired and respected adults. One can be motivated to possess them as constituting one's image of an "ideal self by great literature and by religion. What one cannot do is directly teach virtue as an academic discipline. One hold can only up the qualities which are considered admirable as personal ideals to encourage individuals to nurture and cultivate themselves in order to become better people and therefore better doctors and nurses