AMA Code Of Medical Ethics: The Hippocratic Oath

One of the major areas of strength of the AMA Code of Ethics is the principle that outlines that the physician must “regard responsibility to the patient as paramount” (American Medical Association, n.d., par. 9). This principle outlines that importance of putting the patient first in all care aspects when working with a patient. Along with this, other principles set forth in the AMA Code of Ethics, while involving other aspects of care, state that the rights of the patient shall be acknowledged and followed during patient care. It is very important that healthcare codes of ethics are clear in defining that the patient needs to be considered first and foremost.

Throughout the history of medicine there has always been a need for shared commitment to ideals of moral, ethical and humane practice. The Hippocratic Oath, created by a compilation of works largely based on Hippocrates, has always stood as guidelines for the conduct of physicians. The Classical oath has and continues to serve well in preserving the sanctity of the medical profession while developing a basis for the respectful treatment of patients. However, this out-dated oath is not equipped to handle the modern trials and tribulations faced by physicians and health care in general. Many of its principles are simply unrealistic and inapplicable in today’s society. For this reason a revised version of the oath was written. As I will

Over the span of half a century, the medical profession has witnessed a catastrophic shift in the patient-physician relationship. As the manufacturing of new pharmaceuticals and the number of patients under a physician’s care continue to rise, doctor’s are finding it difficult to employ the time-honored principles listed within the Hippocratic Oath. This oath, written in 430 BC by the Greek Physician, Hippocrates, was the first document to state the responsibilities of a physician to his patient (vadscorner, pg 2). Hippocrates believed that it was the physician’s duty, as a healer, to treat the patient infected with the disease to the best of his ability, and not to treat the disease

Elite groups and associations have developed creeds or oaths throughout history. Doctors, lawyers, Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, and knights all aspire to hold to their directives. These oaths outline a set of values, and a code of conduct by which the group’s initiates are expected to hold. The oaths taken by these warrior classes are important for trust between members that, in grave circumstances, a behavior in accordance with high standards is to be expected. On a different professional level, a lawyer’s or doctor’s oath is to the people they serve. These oaths serve to instill confidence in the professional-to-patient relationship by establishing a standard of professional accountability within their respective fields. The Hippocratic Oath is purported to be a foundation for ethics and the practice of medicine. Though it exists in different versions, depending on the institution, the general themes and function remain the same (Markel). Any oath taken is meant to elevate the level of expectations for services rendered. In practice, however, especially in cases of medical oaths, it appears that the oaths are ceremonial and apparently obsolete. A survey conducted in 2012 noted that very few physicians had better than a rudimentary knowledge of the content of The Hippocratic Oath (Jhala and Jhala 279). If the Hippocratic Oath or any oath is intended to be the moral and ethical compass for physicians, it should be taken with an enforceable level of accountability and

Included in the Hippocratic Oath, the Declaration of Geneva, and the American Medical Association’s articulations of the responsibilities of a physician, include the phrases “free from harm”, “health of the patient first consideration” and “obligation to relieve pain and suffering”.

Years and much unethical conduct in the United States later the Belmont Report established ethical guidelines for treating patients in 1979. The main three principals are respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. These categories include things like informed consent, weighing risk to benefit, and fairness. It also established rules behind informed consent such as all information must be available and comprehensible to the patient and coercion never being acceptable. This and Principles of Biomedical Ethics by Beauchamp and Childress, which came out in the same year, marked a major turning point in the laws regarding ethical medical practices in the United States. However, the underlying principle of medical ethics had been around since 1780 or so when Hippocrates directed physicians “to help and do no harm”.

Upon watching the YouTube video of the original Hippocratic Oath I noticed quite a few things that are still widely practiced around the world today and some that aren’t. It truly humbles me to know that the standard for patient care has always been intended to be morally and ethically high. I know this hasn’t always been the case, but it is nice to know it was always the intention. The normative principles seen in this original oath that are still practiced today fall into the Virtue and Deontological categories.

My initial reaction while reading both the ancient and modern Hippocratic oaths was ‘Is this really necessary?’ The Hippocratic oath in my opinion states knowledge, which all doctors must abide by as a human. It seems redundant for there to be a document expressing moral principles that are taught to most. In the documentary Doctors’ Diaries it shows an instructor explaining that the greatest thing they can do as doctors is to “Do no harm.” However, as I continued to read the articles provided it made sense to have the Hippocratic and other such oaths as a barometer for doctors. Although all doctors may not follow the oaths, they provide structure for doctors of all specialties and can always revisit for guidance within their practice. The oaths are moral compasses, and comparable to other oaths different professions such as lawyers and the president would take.

Many professions such as physicians, nurses, and lawyers establish and adopt a code of ethics. A code of ethics is general rules and principles set to establish trust with the public and other professionals. Trust that their profession has a core set of values that will be used in decision making, behavior, and protects people from devious acts that someone can benefit from. A code of ethics creates a high standard to protect the profession itself from compromising individuals and it also allows the profession to have an evaluation benchmark when needed. “Following a professional code of ethics can produce many benefits for the individual, the profession, and society as a whole” (Reynolds 54). The physician code of ethics is one of the most

The Code of Ethics is a set of principles of moral and ethical conduct as they relate to the medical profession. There are five sections of the Code of Ethics.

I think the General Assembly of the World Medical Association of 1948 decided to put in place the Hippocratic oath as the official oath of the medical profession because it outlined the responsibility and guidelines for medical scholars upon receiving a license. The original version of the oath relied much on religious factors, which was understood by much of society, and ensured that help from medical scholars was for the sole purpose to aid the sick and never to intentionally harm. Before the oath was adopted in 1948 guidelines for the expectations of medical scholars, who were gaining more knowledge that was becoming more and more powerful in the realms of society, had fallen to disuse. By choosing the Hippocratic oath as the official oath

he Hippocratic Oath is an ethical code attributed to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. It was adopted as a guide to conduct by the medical profession throughout the ages and is still used in the graduation ceremonies of many medical schools (). The code has been handed down in various versions through generations of physicians. However, the original was chosen by the General assembly. I believe the General Assembly of the World Medical Association chose the Hippocratic Oath as the official oath of the modern profession because religion, sexism and slavery was normal and prominent in 1948. The oath fit perfectly with the time that those doctors lived in. They chose this oath so that doctors had an idea of the kind of conduct they are

The Hippocratic Oath and Engineering code of ethics have both been regarded as the standard for medical and engineering professionals to conduct themselves morally, and professionally to assure that the decisions and activities made are guided by certain principles and values. (Hendon and French, 2016) Both the Hippocratic Oath and Engineering code of ethics emphasize the importance of the duties and responsibilities of professionals in regards to the safety and health of humans, providing services within areas of expertise, being truthful, hold confidential information, and being accountable for professional services provided.

An important document that came out of these conferences is the Code of Ethics that was infused with the American Medical Association. This Code of Ethics consisted of three chapters. The first, was the “the Duties of Physicians to Their Patients, and of the Obligations of Patients to their Physician.” Second was “Of the Duties of Physicians to Each Other and to the Profession at Large.” And finally, chapter 3 was “Of the Duties of the Profession to the Public, and of the Obligations of the Public to the Profession.” The code seemed to

Many opponents of these practices point to the Hippocratic Oath and its prohibition on hastening death. But those who turn to the oath in an effort to shape or legitimize their ethical viewpoints must realize that the statement has been embraced over approximately the past 200 years far more as a symbol of professional cohesion than for its content. Its pithy sentences cannot be used as all-encompassing maxims to avoid the personal responsibility inherent in the practice of medicine. Ultimately, a physician's conduct at the bedside is a matter of individual conscience.