Supernatural Health

What is a pre - med Christian to do when he or she is involved in a discussion where one of his or her friends asserts that illness, especially mental illness is caused by demon possession or some other force of Satan or maybe God humbling the person with the illness? What are they to do when their 300 level classes and their general biology classes would clearly point to biological causes at the roots of some of these issues? And what is a pre - med to do when envoking the medical model may be to some, an invalidation of the power of God?

I have asked myself these questions for three years. Before going off into the crazy world of medical school, I would like to have figured out these questions at least partially. I need to know if only holding onto the medical model where every disease including mental illness has a biological cause, if I should take each case on an individual basis and determine what's going on, or if I should change my assumptions completely.

The trouble with assuming illnesses have a strong supernatural component is that one may pray instead of seek medicine or other forms of treatment which may make the illness worse and cause more harm. If I become a doctor, I will probably see patients and friends that appear to have a medical problem but not seek treatment because they see it as a supernatural problem. Then I would have a choice: I could tell them as their friend or as their physician that they have a legitimate medical problem. However, they may not believe me or discredit me saying I have a lack of faith or belief in the reality of the supernatural. The other choice I have would be to honor their belief and pray for them if they asked me to. However, I feel I would not be doing my duty as a physician if I ignored their condition.