I found it interesting to see the changes that were made between the Hippocratic Oath and the Modern Oath. There are elements that stayed the same, and changes that were made. It was interesting to see the Modern Oath and the Hippocratic Oath next to each other to be able to compare those changes.
What jumps out the most is the removal of the line stating that a doctor will not give “a deadly drug to anyone who asks for it,” nor give “a women an abortive remedy.” I understand by removing this anyone who is taking the modern oath could do so while believing that abortion and euthanasia are options that should be available. This made me wonder what happens in the case where someone who believes in euthanasia or abortion graduates from a medical school that uses the Hippocratic Oath. What are the ethical ramifications for people who take an oath that they know they are going to break? If this is an ever an issue within a schools, I wonder if they give any options to students. Those are just some questions that I had after learning about the Hippocratic Oath.
Another change that is made from the Hippocratic Oath to the Modern Oath is the part about treating the whole person. I like the inclusion of that part to the Modern Oath because they aren’t just treating the illness but every aspect of the person. The same medical condition in two different people might require different treatments depending on the other aspects of their lives.
Something that caught my eye in the original oath was the mention of a doctor going to someone’s house. House calls are a thing of the past. All I know about house calls are what my mother has told me about when she was little!
I can understand your wonder about what a person would do if they held beliefs contrary to the oath they were required to take. Unfortunately it seems like today's society accepts and in some cases lauds those who don't stick to their oaths. I know that I would not want to be treated by a person who didn't stick to their oaths or who would willingly take the life of another person without concern for the ethical ramifications. In this case it would seem that I would have to find another place to be treated, but I see that as being my moral imperative rather than be treated by someone whose ethics I disagree with.
ReplyDeleteYou raise some really interesting questions. After reading your post, I wonder too what the ramifications are of breaking a signed oath. I would think that a medical student would try to find a school that utilizes an oath that is in agreement with his or her own ethics and morals. For me this is going to be a top crtieria when formulating a list of medical schools.
ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting that in the Modern Oath it is mentioned that the whole person is to be treated and not just the illness. A newer type of medicine, Osteopathy, is in direct accordance with this oath. A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) is a doctor that treats the entire person in an attempt to find the root of the illness instead of just treating the illness.