Taking the Oath

On Wednesday night  more than 100 students of Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Sciences, took the Hippocratic Oath pledging their loyalty to the ethics of their chosen profession. The Oath Taking Ceremony, the fourth of its kind for the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of the West Indies (UWI), was held at the Learning Resource Centre, UWI Campus, St Augustine, under the patronage of Dr June Ramjohn Richards, wife of President George Maxwell Richards. This was the first time that graduates from all three schools had a combined ceremony. In his feature address, Dr David Picou, Chairman of the Ethics Committee of CAREC, reminded the graduates of their oath to serve the public. He condemned the recent strike action taken by local doctors stating that they and their supporters focused only on their rights and paid scant attention to their duties as professionals. “They were unable to provide me with an ethical justification of their actions,” he said, “because there simply was none.” Quoting from the Fourth Edition of the Ethics Manual of the American College of Physicians, Dr Picou revealed that physicians should not participate in a strike that adversely affects access to health care. “Instead, they must find alternatives to strikes to address workplace concerns,” he read.

Criticism for the striking doctors also came from Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Pro Vice Chancellor and UWI Campus Principal, who called on the graduates to do what they could to improve the image and reputation of their profession. “Morality,” he asserted, “and perhaps even more than that — ethics, must be the most important pillar in your foundation as the healing hands serving this country.” Dr Tewarie noted that in recent times the roles of doctors, dentists and veterinarians had changed dramatically from the 1930s and 1940s when practitioners had a large number of patients and limited resources. Today, he said, the demand for medical services continues to increase and with the advent of new technology and other developments it is the qualitative demand that is increasing at an exponential rate. He said, “Medical malpractice, lawsuits and even scandals have redefined public perception of practitioners. “It is therefore up to you to maintain a high sense of personal and professional integrity,” he advised.