Hippocratic oath

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath of medical ethics. It used to be very common among doctors to take after finishing medical school.

The original version was made in around 425 B.C. (in Greek times) and was very religious. It talked about Greek mythology, but later versions talked about Christian mythology.

Hippocratic Oath (~2013)

The revised (new) version of the Hippocratic oath has been remade for the modern day so that it can help doctors with the new challenges they might face in practise.

• I will make my patient my first concern. I will treat all my patients as individuals, and respect their dignity and right to confidentiality.
• I will do my best to help anyone in medical need and ensure the health of patients and the public are protected and promoted.
• I will use my medical knowledge to benefit people’s health. I will be honest, respectful, and compassionate to all.
• I will provide a good standard of care, uninfluenced by political or religious pressure, or the age, race, sexual orientation, social class or wealth of my patient.
• I will listen to patients and respond to their concerns. I will give patients information they want or need in a way they can understand.
• I will help patients reach decisions about their treatment and care and will respect decisions of informed and competent patients, even if treatment is refused.
• I will recognize the limits of my knowledge and competence, and seek advice when needed. I will keep my knowledge and skills up to date, and ensure poor standards or bad practices are exposed without delay to those who can improve them.

• I will show respect for all those with whom (who) I work, and will work with colleagues in a way that best serves the interest of my patients. I will be ready to share my knowledge by teaching others.
• I recognize the special value of human life, but I also know that prolonging life is not the only aim of health care.
• I will promote fair use of health resources and try to influence positively those whose policies harm public health.
• I recognize that I have responsibilities to humankind that transcend diktats and orders of States, and which no legislature can countermand. I will oppose health policies that breach internationally accepted standards of human rights (*).
• I will learn from my mistakes and seek help from colleagues to promote patient safety. While keeping within this framework, I will not be discouraged by failure, and will try to continue in a spirit of practical and rational optimism.

Hippocratic Oath (425 B.C.)

• I swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius and Health and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this oath and stipulation—to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this Art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation, and that by percept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none other.
• I will follow that system of regimen, which, according to my ability and judgement, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.
• I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practise my Art.
• I will not cut persons labouring under the stone, but will leave this work to be done by men who are practitioners of this work (urology).
• Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further, from the seduction of females, or males, of freemen or slaves.
• Whatever, in connection with my professional practice, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
• While I continue to keep this oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and practise this Art, respected by all men, in all times. Should I violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot.