Reimagining Commitments to Patients and the Public in Professional Oaths

Kennedy Inst Ethics J. 2022;32(3):261-296. doi: 10.1353/ken.2022.0018.ABSTRACTRobert Veatch argues that physician oaths should not be valued as substantive moral commitments, transformational rituals, or symbolic acts. Further, he insists that oath recitation in medical schools is immoral. I respond to Veatch's criticisms and argue that, with alterations to their content and practice, oaths can have value for articulating moral commitments and building a sense of moral community within the profession. I break down Veatch's multitude of objections to oaths over his career, and I suggest how medical schools can avoid the pitfalls identified by Veatch. A promising and innovative path forward is to integrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion-though with an understanding that a few lines in an oath are far from sufficient for institutional culture, faculty accountability, or students' education.PMID:36341597 | DOI:10.1353/ken.2022.0018
Source: Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Source Type: research