As a future doctor, you will eventually come across a situation that has different ways of being resolved, and you would have to decide what the most suitable course of action is. More often than not, medical ethics will be involved in the decisions that you make as a medical professional.
The Hippocratic Oath
Medical ethics dates back to Ancient Greece, the 5th century BC. The Hippocratic Oath is a document that binds physicians to a set of vows that they must uphold. The following is a brief list of what the document states:
To treat patients to the best of one’s ability.
To maintain a patient’s right to privacy.
To pass on one’s knowledge to future generations.
To do no harm.
Pillars of medical ethics
1. Autonomy: Respecting a patient’s right to choose.
Autonomy is a patient’s right to have control over their own health. This includes a physician’s duty to maintain the confidentiality of patient information, seeing that a patient has control over the information they share. Autonomy is a principle that is loosely based on a concept mentioned in the Hippocratic Oath:
“What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which ought to not be spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.”
Physicians must recognize that a patient has control over whether they receive treatment or not, provided that they are in the right state of mind to make that decision.
2. Beneficence: To act in the best interest of the patient.
The duty of a physician is to suggest and provide the best treatment for their patients. The intention of doing good should always be a doctor’s priority when treating a patient. Acting in the best interest of patients can be implemented in a broader aspect; maintaining beneficence involves healthcare providers having a high level of skill and knowledge in their field. This is referenced in the Hippocratic Oath:
“I will follow that method of treatment which according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patient.”
3. Non-maleficence: To do no harm.
Whilst it may seem like a given to ‘do no harm’ to a patient, non-maleficence is still a vital pillar of medical ethics. A widely-known principle introduced by Hippocrates is:
“First do no harm”
Even if a physician’s decision is beneficial to an individual patient, they have to consider the effects on other people and on society. When treating a patient, non-maleficence allows healthcare providers to consider the risks of intervening, whether they are skilled enough and if the patient is being treated with respect. A common example is a euthanasia case; assisting in the death of a patient to end their suffering is arguably an act of beneficence however, a patient is being harmed and it is, therefore, a breach of non-maleficence.
4. Justice: The duty to do what is best for society.
Justice refers to the fairness of treatment, which is often known as equity. Equity and equality are two different terms and their difference is important to understand. Both terms refer to the fairness of treatment across different people in society however, equality is treating everyone the same whereas equity is prioritizing treatment based on need. Justice allows physicians to view their decisions from a legal and societal perspective.
Medical ethics is a topic that every potential medical student should be well-versed in. It is an important topic that is often discussed in the interview and will be a significant factor in the decisions you make as a future healthcare provider.
The following are a few websites you can use to read about different examples of medical ethics: