So, in my future…

So, in my future civilization, we have genetic engineering that is somewhat advanced. If you have the money, you can get all kinds of mods to your embryo -- everything from dramatically improved health to cosmetic changes (want blue eyes? want wings?). You can even make some of these changes retroactively as an adult, though it costs a LOT more and may be painful / risky.

Make reasonable sense so far? Tell me if not, because I'd prefer to adjust the science now before I invest in a whole novel set in this milieu.

But presuming it works reasonably well, I'm thinking about the role of doctors. And I'm thinking that they've essentially split into two different jobs -- top-tier are genetic engineers, essentially. And the doctors are left treating everyone who's left, the poor and working class folks who can't afford to get their cancer and heart disease and common colds eradicated in the womb. As a result, I'm thinking doctors would have lost some status, yes?

Further thoughts on this welcome. I like to crowd-source my world building.

3 thoughts on “So, in my future…”

  1. Maybe the right models for doctors in your new civilization are chiropractors, nurses, physical therapists, or home health workers: there’s a wide range in health professions now. Or maybe they’re like the low-status surgeons from the days when surgery was a bloodier profession.

    Meanwhile, in your civilization, does the government make it hard to become a doctor, or say that only doctors can provide certain services? The U.S. federal government does both, which explains a lot of doctors’ status here. Regulations may affect things in your civilization too.

  2. I think the after-the-fact genetic modification of adults would be a natural extension of the cosmetic surgery done today. An bit of tissue to be modified would need just to be grown from genetically altered stem cells derived from the person’s own cells and then surgically implanted when it is ready. But, it would not be passed on to ones offspring, genetically.

    It does seem that there would likely be a lot of casualties as the technology was being developed, however.

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