We all think of medicine as being a science. After all, isn't this is why doctors spend so many years burning the midnight oil, so that they can study anatomy , physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and master the content of fat medical textbooks . Doctors base their treatment on research studies and double blind controlled clinical trials; and do laboratory tests and imaging studies in order to make the right diagnosis and formulate the correct treatment plan. This scientific underpinning of medicine can be very reassuring, both for patients as well as doctors. You believe that your doctor's treatment is based on scientific evidence , which means that doctors aren't winging it.