[Commitment hierarchy of the Geneva declaration]

There is a revival at present in the use of the medical oath. A study of the text is necessary from the first year of study in medical school. The aim of this work was to know how medical students rank the commitments of the Geneva Declaration. One hundred seventy 1st-year students were evaluated. They were asked to enumerate the commitments in a hierarchy according to their perception of medical work. The greatest percentages of the principles for each position were obtained. The commitments placed first were respect to life (39.4%), consideration of patient health as first concern (23.5%), and non-discrimination (27.1%). Votes placed last in the ranking were related to honor and professional traditions (24.1%) and consideration of colleagues as brothers (28.8% and 44.7%). The difference among percentages was significant, mainly with regard the last commitment. Medical students located in the first places obligations with reference to ethical principles of physician-patient relationship, considering less relevant commitments with the profession and its members. It will be of interest to determine the reason for this dichotomy and to encourage reflection upon medical oaths, generating greater commitment.