Graduation Day

In 2007 I recited the Hippocratic Oath with a huge group of strangers.

Today, I'll repeat the Oath, but this time I get to say it with the strongest, funnest and most amazing people I've ever had the opportunity to get to know.

This is a huge step for us that we get to take together again. It's heartbreaking though that every step after this will be taken separately.

My class has been my support and my burden. They've been my friends and my pains in the ass. There are members of the class I will sincerely not miss, but only a couple. Despite our best efforts, I'm sure that we will not be as close over the coming years as we wish we could be.

This is going to be a bittersweet day - celebrating our amazing accomplishments but also mourning our close friendships. There is something precious in the day to day interactions that I've had with my class over the years - getting to know everyone's quirks, their dreams, their food preferences and being able to smile and say hi to 144 people and having that reciprocated.

My partner keeps referring to my class and the medical profession in general as a cult. I get that. We use a "secret" language, we are bound to one another tightly through extraordinary circumstances. Mind altering substances (mostly tequila) are used liberally. We see each other and medicine in general as the most important things in our lives next to our families and own health. We follow the doctrine of evidence based medicine (state your source!). We were kept together in close proximity during our clerkship training, very much like the compounds used to prevent cult members from seeing anyone in the outside world.

But I digress.

Big day. Big big day.

One version of the Oath:

The practice of medicine is a privilege which carries important responsibilities. All doctors should observe the core values of the profession which centre on the duty to help sick people and to avoid harm. I promise that my medical knowledge will be used to benefit people's health. They are my first concern. I will listen to them and provide the best care I can. I will be honest, respectful and compassionate towards patients. In emergencies, I will do my best to help anyone in medical need.

I will make every effort to ensure that the rights of all patients are respected, including vulnerable groups who lack means of making their needs known, be it through immaturity, mental incapacity, imprisonment or detention or other circumstance.

My professional judgement will be exercised as independently as possible and not be influenced by political pressures nor by factors such as the social standing of the patient. I will not put personal profit or advancement above my duty to patients.

I recognise the special value of human life but I also know that the prolongation of human life is not the only aim of healthcare. Where abortion is permitted, I agree that it should take place only within an ethical and legal framework. I will not provide treatments which are pointless or harmful or which an informed and competent patient refuses.

I will ensure patients receive the information and support they want to make decisions about disease prevention and improvement of their health. I will answer as truthfully as I can and respect patients' decisions unless that puts others at risk of harm. If I cannot agree with their requests, I will explain why.

If my patients have limited mental awareness, I will still encourage them to participate in decisions as much as they feel able and willing to do so.

I will do my best to maintain confidentiality about all patients. If there are overriding reasons which prevent my keeping a patient's confidentiality I will explain them.

I will recognise the limits of my knowledge and seek advice from colleagues when necessary. I will acknowledge my mistakes. I will do my best to keep myself and colleagues informed of new developments and ensure that poor standards or bad practices are exposed to those who can improve them.

I will show respect for all those with whom I work and be ready to share my knowledge by teaching others what I know.

I will use my training and professional standing to improve the community in which I work. I will treat patients equitably and support a fair and humane distribution of health resources. I will try to influence positively authorities whose policies harm public health. I will oppose policies which breach internationally accepted standards of human rights. I will strive to change laws which are contrary to patients' interests or to my professional ethics.