Free thinking discouraged
The selection process of medical students largely depends on college grades. Students learn to get high grades by simply by repeating in their tests exactly what their teacher wants them to say. However, students that question what they are being taught usually do not get the higher grades.
Therefore, medical schools are full of students who are good at adopting the given "wisdom" of their teacher, but not necessarily good at free thinking and questioning as they have learned to follow precepts handed to them from presumed authorities.
This creates a myopic medical dogma that is incredibly hard to break, and even the thought of adopting a system that is completely opposite to what they have been taught for an extended period of time, brings about a level of cognitive dissonance that makes alternative medicine nearly impossible for them to consider.
They have been taught to departmentalize
Medical schools tend to be organized into organ-specific departments. The idea of the underlying link between these different departmentalized diseases is non-existent within the framework. The body is treated as parts completely independent of each other, and their interaction is minimal at best.
This makes diagnosis much easier when you do not need to consider the intimate dynamic of all the parts of the body. It also makes it much easier to attach a label, then stick the patient with a prescription that addresses it, rather than trying to understand the more complicated reasons of why someone may be sick. Medical record keeping and billing for insurance also require doctors to adhere to this superficial, organ classification of disease.
When alternative medicine presents ideas that challenge that departmentalization, it is a culture shock to what they have been vigorously taught. Rather than trying to wrap their head around this "subordinate" system, they simply dismiss it with no further exploration.
Economics
When leaving medical school, the student finds themselves in a system that financially rewards what is called "rescue" medicine, or interventions that treat symptoms. There is no financial reward and you may very well be scorned by fellow doctors if you take the time to try and prevent illness or attempt to correct nutritional deficiencies that may be causing the patients condition.
Not only that, but the pharmaceutical industry is an incredibly tantalizing sales model to be a part of, with the top 11 drug companies globally making almost 85 billion in profit in 2012. Consider that those numbers are growing as more and more people are going on prescription drugs, and at an earlier age. Imagine if you were part of a profit system that could sell hundreds of dollars worth of products to 70% of the people (7 out of 10 people are now estimated to be on at least one prescription), every month, for conceivably several decades!
That's a business model that makes serious money. To even consider alternative medicine and the profit it generates is absolutely pale in comparison. The only reason you would switch is you finally realize the system is flawed and over run with sick people, and/or your conscience and adrenals can't take it anymore.
Nutrition is an afterthought in their education
With medical schools so focussed on learning the intimate details of diagnosing and prescribing due to the profitability of such a system, the major factor for true health gets nearly completely ignored. That component is nutrition.
Doctors are said to study nutrition for a matter of a few days in what is a LONG and arduous degree. It is simply a minute fraction of the education they receive, so if they do want to learn more, they often have to take it up themselves outside the typical curriculum.
Since they are indoctrinated early on with the diagnose, prescribe, and slash and burn system, and since they recognize its immense profitability compared to more natural methods, there really is no reason to consider nutrition as a significant part of reversing disease and maintaining a healthy body. That, and its not nearly as profitable to their personal income.
However, some doctors are becoming more aware of the significant importance of nutrition, as well researched patients start to question their methods and raise questions around nutrition. This can force conventional doctors to adapt and offer more well rounded diagnoses, in order to avoid looking silly and to help retain their current, more intelligent client base.
Too busy to expand knowledge
Becoming a conventional doctor is an incredible feat. The long and intense process of studying, testing, and working around the clock is a marathon process and kudos should go to those who manage to finish the race out of sheer will power, determination, and brain capacity.
However, this intense schedule often does not abate, and could get worse, depending on the doctors success and their location. As a result of increasing demands put on them by an ever growing sick population, continuing their education is often limited and often sequestered to events put on or sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.
This limits professional growth and keeps the doctor firmly inside the conventional system, not allowing them to expand their knowledge significantly into realms of alternative medicine, such as nutrition. As a result, they continue to learn more of the same and never are allowed to fully appreciate and understand the benefits of alternative and holistic practices.
In the end, the majority of conventional doctors have little incentive to consider alternative medicine due to confined thinking and education (that is considered superior), profit disparity, and limited ability to expand knowledge. However, there are some doctors currently in the system who understand the limits of conventional medicine, and as a result are incorporating forms of alternative medicine into their practice, in order to truly serve the needs of the people.
I commend these "renegade" doctors for their free thinking and bravery, and I promise it will pay off mentally and spiritually.
To start, I work as a American physician certified by more than one professional Board - as with many doctors in practice, I have a certification in a 'general' practice as well as a 'specialty' practice.
Let me be brief:
"Free thinking discouraged" - FALLACY Physicians are called upon to exert their creative talents whenever caring for each unique patient. Each patient may have a diagnosis or many that is shared by others, but the best practices approach depends on many other factors.
"They have been taught to departmentalize" OBSCURE Though medical students are taught 'system' organized classes, these are taught in the context of how a system interacts with other systems in particular, and the person as a whole. Attention is also paid to the emotional/psychological/social aspects of person care in relation to diseases and the best practices to address the same. By focusing on a system, a deeper understanding of that system may be developed in a shortened time frame.
"The idea of the underlying link between these different departmentalized diseases is non-existent within the framework. The body is treated as parts completely independent of each other, and their interaction is minimal at best." THIS IS A LIE. See my comments above (and below) I have been through Medical School, and Residency training as well as post Residency training. Have you? Didn't think so.
"Rather than trying to wrap their head around this "subordinate" system, they simply dismiss it with no further exploration." ARM WAVING AND HYPERBOLE. Who is this 'they' you are referring to? Doctors that care for their patients - especially those in the Primary Care fields (you know, the areas that tend to involve lower compensation for long hours of work) want their patients to improve (that's my hand in the air, along with many thousands of my colleagues). We derive great satisfaction from improving the health of our patients, and in fact, the current model of compensation is often driven by health and utilization factors closely monitored by payer sources/institutions to IMPROVE patient health outcomes.
"Since they are indoctrinated early on with the diagnose, prescribe, and slash and burn system, and since they recognize its immense profitability compared to more natural methods, there really is no reason to consider nutrition as a significant part of reversing disease and maintaining a healthy body." RIGHT, DOCTORS ARE ROBOTS, PROGRAMMED FOR EVIL AND SELF AGGRANDIZEMENT. Love that 'slash and burn' phrase. You should write for the tabloids (if you already do, good job!).
"Too busy to expand knowledge" WRONG. Personal experience dictates otherwise.
"continuing their education is often limited and often sequestered to events put on or sponsored by pharmaceutical companies." THERE ARE MANY CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO ALL PRACTITIONERS - and current reputable educational forums mandate any conflict(s) of interest be disclosed.
"not allowing them to expand their knowledge significantly into realms of alternative medicine, such as nutrition" WRONG Medical practitioners are not helpless babies inside an evil laboratory - THAT BEING SAID, nutritional recommendations are often made based on USDA and FDA guidelines, which MAY be influenced by big-money entities (Monsanto, agri-businesses) that benefit from certain nutritional guidelines adopted by Colleges and academic centers. Remember, physicians and other health practitioners must operate within a legal environment that severely punishes those that advise interventions that are not recognized by our peers. THAT SHOULD BE YOUR TARGET. The dietary recommendations of 'the system' and undue influences to improperly affect those recommendations needs to be addressed, and recognized experts in the field(s) need to establish guidelines for the rest of us 'non-experts' to follow in a way that is efficacious to the patient, and defensible from the view of the health care practitioner.
" the majority of conventional doctors have little incentive to consider alternative medicine due to confined thinking and education (that is considered superior), profit disparity, and limited ability to expand knowledge." REPEATING THE ASSERTION DOES NOT GIVE IT VALIDITY - except to the lazy.
In the end, of course, it is up to the person to eat right and exercise, to limit alcohol, tobacco, look both ways before crossing the street, floss daily, and yes, educate themselves and then act on what they have learned to make the real differences in THEIR lives.