VIRTUES & IDEALS

OF THE MEDICAL
PROFESSION
 VIRTUES
 Virtues are traits of character or habits of
disposition to think and act in ways that are
good; to do what is morally right.
 It is moral excellence that puts order into life
and makes the possessor and the act good.
 KINDS OF VIRTUES
 Theological
 Cardinal
 Moral acquired virtues
 Theological Virtues
 The three theological virtues are:
 Faith - steadfastness in belief
 Hope - expectation of and desire of receiving;
refraining from despair and capability of not
giving up
 Love or Charity - selfless, unconditional, and
voluntary loving-kindness. Helping your
neighbors.
 Cardinal Virtues
(Primary Moral Virtues)
 prudence
 distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.
(correct judgment)
 Justice
 Justice is the constant will to give another his due.
 Temperance or moderation
 Fortitude or courage
 Courage is doing what is right without undue fear. It is
resoluteness.
MORAL ACQUIRED VIRTUES
 Fidelity
 Honesty
 Humility
 Compassion
 Conscientiousness
 Trustworthiness
 Prayerfulness
 FIDELITY
 Faithfulness to trust and promise
 In health care, fidelity is fulfilling the promise of
the health care professional to be a patient
advocate
 In research, fidelity is fulfilling the promise of the
researcher to be a research subject and public
advocate
 In education, fidelity is fulfilling the promise of
the teacher to be a student advocate
 HONESTY
 Honesty is both truthfulness and integrity
 In health care, it is telling the patient and his
family, the truth about an illness, its nature,
prognosis, the justification, benefits and burdens of
alternative actions.
 In research, it is publishing accurate findings,
appropriately acknowledging contributions, citing
source of support.
 In education, it is giving students updated data and
just feedback.
 HUMILITY, COMPASSION
 Humility is recognizing one’s capabilities and
limitations.
 Compassion is feeling for the loss/suffering of
another with an attempt beyond obligation to
help or avoid that loss/suffering. It is self-
sacrifice. It is focusing on the lives of the
marginalized, living simply so others may live.
It is being a friend.
 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

 Justice is the constant will to give another his

due.
 Conscientiousness is doing what one sincerely
believes is one’s duty and obligation.
(motivated by a strong sense of duty)
However, the conscience must be moral and
correct otherwise the virtue of
conscientiousness can be evil in it’s effect.
 TRUSTWORTHINESS,
PRAYERFULNESS
 Trustworthiness in a person means
dependability, worthy of confidence,
reliability.
 Prayerfulness inclines one to seek God’s help
in everything one does.
 The Nature of the Medical Profession

 A physician is a professional who "professes"

the willingness to use his or her specialized
knowledge and skills, not for his or her own
purposes, but for the benefit of others,
especially the sick and suffering.
 This is the basic moral meaning and
commitment of the vocation.
 Short List of
Professional Ideals / Attributes
 Integrity
 Respect for others (includes good manners)
 Accountability
 Professional responsibility
 Excellence
 Altruism
 Commitment to social justice
 Duties of Doctors in General
 A doctor must always maintain the highest standards of professional
conduct.
 A doctor must practice his profession uninfluenced by motives of
profit.
 A doctor must observe the principles of The Declaration of Geneva
approved by The World Medical Association
 The following practices are deemed unethical:
a. Any self advertisement except such as is expressly authorized by the code of
medical ethics;
b. Collaborate in any form of medical service in which the doctor does not have
professional independence;
c. Receiving any money in connection with services rendered to a patient other
than a proper professional fee, even with the knowledge of the patient.
 The Declaration of Geneva
(original version-1948)
 At the time of being admitted as a Member of
the medical profession I solemnly pledge
myself to consecrate my life to the service of
humanity :
 I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude
which is their due;
 I will practice my profession with conscience and
dignity;
 The health and life of my patient will be my first
consideration;
 I will respect the secrets which are confided in me;
 I will maintain by all means in my power, the honour
and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
 My colleagues will be my brothers
 I will not permit considerations of religion,
nationality, race, party politics or social standing to
intervene between my duty and my patient;
 I will maintain the utmost respect for human
life, from the time of its conception, even
under threat, I will not use my medical
knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity;
 I make these promises solemnly, freely and
upon my honour.

Amended in 1968, 1984, 1994, 2005 and 2006.

 Duties of Doctors to the Sick
 A doctor must always bear in mind the obligation of
preserving human life from conception.
 A doctor owes to his patient complete loyalty and all the
resources of his science. Whenever an examination or
treatment is beyond his capacity he should summon another
doctor who has the necessary ability.
 A doctor shall preserve absolute secrecy on all he knows about
his patient because of the confidence entrusted in him.
 A doctor must give emergency care as a humanitarian duty
unless he is assured that others are willing and able to give
such care.
 A doctor is advised to use great caution in divulging
discoveries or new techniques of treatment.
 Duties of Doctors to Each Other
 A doctor ought to behave to his colleagues as he
would have them behave to him.
 A doctor must not entice patients from his colleagues
 A doctor should certify or testify only to that which
he has personally verified
 Duties of Doctors to the
Community
 Physicians, as good citizens, possessed of
special training should disseminate advice on
public health issues. They should play their
part in enforcing the laws of the community
and in sustaining the institutions that advance
the interests of humanity.
 At all times, the physician should uphold
public safety
 Declaration of
Professional Responsibility
 Humanity is faced with unprecedented threats to
its health and well-being
 While these threats are new, physicians’ response
is guided by their historical commitment to care
for the sick and the suffering
 A recommitment to professionalism underscores
it as the foundation for the public’s trust in
medicine
 Strengthening
Professionalism
 Reaffirm core values and principles in
medicine through oath taking
 Increase awareness and understanding of
medical codes
 Promote mechanisms to encourage
compliance with ethical guidelines
 Foster lifelong mentoring and the
importance of role models
 IN SUMMARY
 Without virtues and ideals, healthcare
delivery, research and education are only
business contacts. With virtues and ideals,
they are each covenants of trust moving away
from a service that is priced to one that is
priceless.
to cure sometimes…
to relieve often and…
to comfort always