Hippocratic Oath

The modern day Hippocratic Oath is far different from the original oath of the Greek physicians. The sanctity and principles of the oath -- of treating the sick to the best of one's ability, preserving patient privacy, teaching the secrets of medicine to the next generation -- are still upheld; however, its content has changed dramatically.

Of course, the modern physician does not swear by the ancient medical gods and goddesses of the Greeks. But additionally, the aspects of the original Hippocratic Oath that called for physicians to teach their art without a fee and for doctors to never use the knife, meaning to conduct surgical procedures, have been removed in the modern oath.

Today, most medical students swear to a modernized version of the oath either upon entering or graduating from medical school. According to a 1993 survey of 150 U.S. and Canadian medical schools, only 14 percent of modern oaths prohibit euthanasia, 11 percent pledge by a deity, 8 percent reject abortion, and 3 percent forbid sexual contact with patients, which were all maxims held sacred in the classical version.

Changes in social perspective and progress in medical treatment and research prompted modern revisions of the Hippocratic Oath. Indeed, the original oath is inadequate in our modern world where abortion is legalized, physician assisted suicides are possible and health care is a money-making business.

Resources:

Read an English translation of the Classical Version of the Hippocratic Oath.

Read a modern version of the Hippocratic Oath used in many medical schools today.

Further debate on the modern-day relevance of the Hippocratic Oath