Oath

Physician’s Oath

THE PHYSICIAN’S OATH, IN THE TRADITION OF HIPPOCRATES AND ELIZABETH BLACKWELL

I enthusiastically commit my life to serving patients. I will practice my profession with integrity, dignity, and humility. The welfare of my patients will be my first consideration, and I will advocate for them; may I never see in the patient anything but a fellow human in need. I will treat all patients with compassion, no matter how much they differ from me. I will preserve my patients’ confidentiality and respect my patients’ choices. I will work together with my colleagues in service of our patients. I will acknowledge my limits, maintain my skills, and seek help when needed.

I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due, be a role model for students, and share my knowledge with patients and colleagues. I make these promises solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.

May I keep this oath and, in so doing, experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

There is no single oath that physicians take upon receiving their degrees. The Hippocratic Oath, the most well-known formulation, was derived from the 4th century BCE writings of Hippocrates, a Greek physician. “The Physician’s Oath, in the Tradition of Hippocrates and Elizabeth Blackwell” is drawn from several sources. Its major source is the Declaration of Geneva, written after World War II. In the aftermath of the medical crimes of Nazi physicians, the Declaration of Geneva revised the Hippocratic Oath to state more clearly the physician’s dedication to medicine’s humanitarian goals. The Physician’s Oath also includes concepts from the Prayer of Maimonides, Louis Lasagna’s 1964 revision of the Hippocratic Oath, and the writings of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first American woman awarded a medical degree, which she accomplished at Geneva Medical College, the forerunner of SUNY Upstate College of Medicine. Members of the Class of 2012 and Class of 2013 also provided valuable input on the oath.