Medical students' attitudes to the physician's oath

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professional Ethics

Background:

• The physician's oath is a traditional part of medical education.
• Student perceptions of the oath's value and impact are important to understand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine medical student attitudes towards the physician's oath.
• To assess the oath's perceived relevance and impact on behavior over time.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of medical students at Ben-Gurion University.
• Surveys conducted before the oath ceremony, 3 months later, and in the fourth and sixth years.

Main Results:

• 87% of students initially viewed the oath positively, associating it with professional norms.
• Positive attitudes declined progressively throughout medical school.
• Few students recalled specific oath obligations or felt it influenced their behavior.

Conclusions:

• The physician's oath holds emotional and ritualistic significance for students.
• Its perceived value may exceed its explicit content or memorization of obligations.
• Timing of the oath, ideally at the start of clinical studies, is crucial.