Commencement (1): Prologue: All That Remains
Part I of Commencement, a series of entries in celebration of the end of my medical/graduate school journey
So his voice rang forth, some twenty years ago now. The words immortal of Master Charles Stewart O'Connor of Calontir, upon the field at Pennsic. Hundreds heard his challenge. Entire armies answered his call. They rose as one to fight for a woman of indomitable courage, facing an enemy against which no one could prevail, the legend told in Once and Future Queen.
It would be more than a decade later before I would even know what Pennsic was. Where Calontir lies. Or who the Queen Eislinn of legend was, or why her courage moved entire kingdoms. But long before I knew who she was, from the time I was a little boy, I was inspired by the stories of the knights and heroes and Rangers of legend. And the little boy who wanted to follow the high road of chivalry got the chance to join the fight to help men and women like the late beloved Queen Eislinn.
Almost twenty years it has been since Master O'Connor issued his challenge.
Almost twenty years it has been since I first began on this road.
Tomorrow is the last day of my journey to become a physician.
All that remains is the oath.
Once upon a time German science -- and German medicine -- indisputably led the world. Much of the early history of pathology, pharmacology, physiology -- indeed, many of the founding fathers -- was and were German. The great American medical schools were founded -- refounded -- on German models. And that great German medical establishment, of achievement unequalled in human history, became complicit -- in many cases, actively collaborative -- to the planning and systematic execution of some of the greatest horror ever perpetrated, the terrible crimes accounted for in the Doctors' Trials.
The Hippocratic Oath, with it's promises to ancient gods and practices thousands of years out of date, no longer in it's original form well serve modern medicine. The oaths taken by graduating classes of medical students today are fusions, syntheses, of the classical text and more modern principles. Principles captured, for example, in the Declaration of Geneva. The Declaration of Geneva was written in the years immediately after the complicity of the German medical establishment in the Holocaust were revealed. And it still remains one of the most cogent encapsulations of what most modern physicans believe are the guiding principles of our profession. To accept the bonds of it's pledges is the last step remaining in my journey.
Ahead of me are my mentors and teachers on the wards. My friends from all across the years. Fellow friends many of you have met in person, like ayradyss and culfinriel and resonance42. My cousins. My brother. Tomorrow, I finally join their ranks. And like the legends of old: at the end of testing, at the end of training, at the very end of one journey, and the beginning of the next; there lies one final oath.
I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;
I will practice the profession of medicine with conscience and dignity;
The health of my patient will be my first consideration;
I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
I will not permit considerations of [any kind] to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;
I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
Before my friends, who so many have blessed me on this journey;
Before my teachers, who have guided me to this day;
Before my family, whom I love above all;
Before my country and all mankind, in whose service is my life given;
Before the Lord God Almighty, and all I hold sacred;
So swear I.
Next entry: Commencement Day.
- Let us take the High Road of Chivalry...
So his voice rang forth, some twenty years ago now. The words immortal of Master Charles Stewart O'Connor of Calontir, upon the field at Pennsic. Hundreds heard his challenge. Entire armies answered his call. They rose as one to fight for a woman of indomitable courage, facing an enemy against which no one could prevail, the legend told in Once and Future Queen.
It would be more than a decade later before I would even know what Pennsic was. Where Calontir lies. Or who the Queen Eislinn of legend was, or why her courage moved entire kingdoms. But long before I knew who she was, from the time I was a little boy, I was inspired by the stories of the knights and heroes and Rangers of legend. And the little boy who wanted to follow the high road of chivalry got the chance to join the fight to help men and women like the late beloved Queen Eislinn.
Almost twenty years it has been since Master O'Connor issued his challenge.
Almost twenty years it has been since I first began on this road.
Tomorrow is the last day of my journey to become a physician.
All that remains is the oath.
Once upon a time German science -- and German medicine -- indisputably led the world. Much of the early history of pathology, pharmacology, physiology -- indeed, many of the founding fathers -- was and were German. The great American medical schools were founded -- refounded -- on German models. And that great German medical establishment, of achievement unequalled in human history, became complicit -- in many cases, actively collaborative -- to the planning and systematic execution of some of the greatest horror ever perpetrated, the terrible crimes accounted for in the Doctors' Trials.
The Hippocratic Oath, with it's promises to ancient gods and practices thousands of years out of date, no longer in it's original form well serve modern medicine. The oaths taken by graduating classes of medical students today are fusions, syntheses, of the classical text and more modern principles. Principles captured, for example, in the Declaration of Geneva. The Declaration of Geneva was written in the years immediately after the complicity of the German medical establishment in the Holocaust were revealed. And it still remains one of the most cogent encapsulations of what most modern physicans believe are the guiding principles of our profession. To accept the bonds of it's pledges is the last step remaining in my journey.
Ahead of me are my mentors and teachers on the wards. My friends from all across the years. Fellow friends many of you have met in person, like ayradyss and culfinriel and resonance42. My cousins. My brother. Tomorrow, I finally join their ranks. And like the legends of old: at the end of testing, at the end of training, at the very end of one journey, and the beginning of the next; there lies one final oath.
I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;
I will practice the profession of medicine with conscience and dignity;
The health of my patient will be my first consideration;
I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
I will not permit considerations of [any kind] to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;
I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
Before my friends, who so many have blessed me on this journey;
Before my teachers, who have guided me to this day;
Before my family, whom I love above all;
Before my country and all mankind, in whose service is my life given;
Before the Lord God Almighty, and all I hold sacred;
So swear I.
Next entry: Commencement Day.