--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I went to medical school, the term…" description: "\"When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied only to rectal exams.\" — Eric Topol" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/eric-topol-19001_applied_when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-d_3740.jpg" --- # When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied… ![“When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied only to rectal exams.” quote by Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/eric-topol-19001_applied_when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-d_3740.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/eric-topol-19001_applied_when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-d_3740.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/eric-topol-19001_applied_when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-d_3740.jpg) > “When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied only to rectal exams.” [Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-topol/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Medical terminology once used 'digital' only for physical examinations, highlighting how language evolves with technology. **In simple terms:** 'Digital' once meant a literal, now it signifies tech. Key Takeaway Words shift meaning as tech advances. Themes language evolution technology adoption medical history semantic shift innovation Mood reflective amused Type observation humor When to use this quote - medical education lectures - tech conference panels - historical articles Key Concepts terminology change digital health Practical Applications - educational content - branding narratives Questions to Reflect On - How does changing jargon affect patient perception? - What other terms have undergone similar transformations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Applied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applied/) [Applied Rectal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applied-rectal-280987/) [Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) [Digital Applied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-applied-280990/) [Exams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exams/) [Medical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical/) [Medical school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical-school/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Rectal Exams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rectal-exams-280986/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Term Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-digital-280988/) [Went Medical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-medical-280989/) ## Related quotes > [I went to medical school after having decided to do so somewhere between my junior and senior year at Harvard - very late. 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I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) ## More by Eric Topol > [Chemotherapy is just medieval. It's such a blunt instrument. We're going to look back on it like we do the dark ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-topol/chemotherapy-is-just-medieval-it-s-such-a-blunt-instrument-we-re/) [Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-topol/) > [Not only can consumers handle their personal genetic information, but they are getting genomically oriented and anchored about such data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-topol/not-only-can-consumers-handle-their-personal-genetic-information-but/) [Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-topol/) > [The problem is that it takes physicians so long to accept a radical change. 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