Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

White coat ceremonies: a second opinion.

R M Veatch1

  • 1Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA. veatchr@gunet.georgetown.edu

Journal of Medical Ethics
|February 9, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Medical school white coat ceremonies raise ethical questions. The professional oath

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Revisiting multi-organ transplantation in the setting of scarcity.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2013
Same author

Equal Opportunity Supplemented by Fair Innings: equity and efficiency in allocating deceased donor kidneys.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2012
Same author

Uncontrolled donation after circulatory determination of death (UDCDD) and the definition of death.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2011
Same author

Organ exchanges: fairness to the O-blood group.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2006
Same author

Transplants and mental disability: the meaning of discrimination.

Ethics and intellectual disability·2005
Same author

Equity in liver allocation.

Medical ethics (Burlington, Mass.)·2004

Area of Science:

  • Medical Education
  • Bioethics

Background:

  • White coat ceremonies are a rite of passage for medical students.
  • These events may fulfill sociological functions.
  • A prior discussion enthusiastically supported these ceremonies.

Discussion:

  • This comment critiques the ethical legitimacy of the professional oath or affirmation of professional commitment.
  • It questions how sponsors select the appropriate oath for administration.
  • The moral implications of the student bonding process are examined.

Key Insights:

  • The initiation oath lacks moral meaning if students are unaware of its content beforehand.
  • Individualized oaths tailored to each student are proposed.
  • The bonding process may create a social distance between medical professionals and patients.

Outlook:

  • Further ethical considerations for medical school initiation rites are needed.
  • Re-evaluating the content and administration of professional oaths is suggested.
  • The impact of professional identity formation on the patient-physician relationship warrants continued study.
Keywords:
Analytical ApproachBioethics and Professional Ethics

Related Experiment Videos