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!
