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Dr. Jeff Schmidt has written that the process of professional training, while it appears to be ideologically neutral, is in fact biased towards those with superior class background and formal education, and more conservative political opinions, who are unlikely to challenge the orthodoxy of the profession.

His 2000 book, Disciplined Minds is subtitled A Critical Look at Salaried Professionals and the Soul-Battering System that Shapes their Lives.

Schmidt begins his attack on professionalism by observing that qualified professionals are less creative and diverse in their opinions and habits than non-professionals, which he attributes to the subtle indoctrination and filtering which accompanies the process of professional training.

His evidence is both qualitative and quantitative, including professional examinations, industry statistics and personal accounts of trainees and professionals.