Departure Blues

Two years back, I had a good friend who left for a foreign country to pursue her studies. It felt sad to see someone leaving. I thought it would feel nice to be able to start anew in a foreign place with a bright future. Leaving home wouldn't be so hard, or so I thought.

A year ago, I had the chance to experience the feeling of departure. All of a sudden, seeing the worries and concern of my family members, I experienced the closeness of family bonds. Having spent 6 weeks in Singapore away from home, though in a safe and modern environment, I knew that there's no place like home.

Now, I'm faced with a similar dilemma. With every meeting with new people there has got to be a separation. But having to temporarily leave everything that's part of my 25 years of life is too much to bear. I can still recall the first few sleepless nights I had when I received my placement. Having been through shock, denial, anger, and grief, I'm reaching the stage of acceptance.

With a glimmer of hope left, depending on the result from MOH, I prayed for God to help me decide for me the path that will suit me better. Knowing that time is limited, I have to be satisfied with spending the remaining time doing vital stuff, like spending time at home, meeting close friends, and leave without any attachment.

The Hippocratic Oath

Hippocrates (460-370 BC)

He was known as the "Father of Medicine" due to his major contribution to the field of medicine. Hippocrates separated medicine from its former association with magic by no longer accepting that the gods are responsible for all disease. Instead, Hippocrates allowed observation, rationality and his own genuine respect for his patients to guide his practice. Using the scientific method, he carefully recorded his patient’s symptoms and responses to treatments, and used the data gathered to evaluate and prescribe the most successful regimens. His prestige as a great medical practitioner, educator, and author helped spread these ideals of rational medicine throughout the ancient world.

His name is synonymous with Doctor as each qualified doctor would be required to uphold an ancient code of ethics which bear his name. Through the years, there's been many modification of the Hippocratic Oath to suit the current practicing condition.

The New Hippocratic Oath dated 2004 AD is as follows:
- I promise that my medical knowledge will be used to benefit people's health; patients are my first concern, I will listen to them, and provide the best care I can. I will be honest, respectful, and compassionate towards them.
- I will do my best to help anyone in medical need, in emergencies. I will make every effort to ensure the rights of all patients are respected, including vulnerable groups who lack means of making their needs known.
- I will exercise my professional judgment as independently as possible, uninfluenced by political pressure or the social standing of my patient. I will not put personal profit or advancement above my duty to my patient.
- I recognize the special value of human life, but I also know that prolongation of life is not the only aim of health care. If I agree to perform abortion, I agree it should take place only within an ethical and legal context.

- I will not provide treatments that are pointless or harmful, or which an informed and competent patient refuses. I will help patients find the information and support they want to make decisions on their care.

- I will answer as truthfully as I can, and respect patients’ decisions, unless that puts others at risk of substantial harm. If I cannot agree with their requests, I will explain why.

- If my patients have limited mental awareness, I will still encourage them to participate in decisions as much as they feel able. I will do my best to maintain confidentiality about all patients.

- If there are overriding reasons preventing my keeping a patient’s confidentiality I will explain them. I will recognize the limits of my knowledge and seek advice from colleagues as needed. I will acknowledge my mistakes.

- I will do my best to keep myself and my colleagues informed of new developments, and ensure that poor standards or bad practices are exposed to those who can improve them.

- I will show respect for all those with whom I work and be ready to share my knowledge by teaching others what I know. I will use my training and professional standing to improve the community in which I work.

- I will treat patients equitably and support a fair and humane distribution of health resources. I will try to influence positively authorities whose policies harm public health.

- I will oppose policies which breach internationally accepted standards of human rights. I will strive to change laws that are contrary to patients’ interests or to my professional ethics.

- While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the Art, respected by all, in all times.

The Old Hippocratic Oath dated 425 BC that were altered are:-

- ‘I swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius and Health and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses…’

- ‘To reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to shard my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this Art…’

- ‘I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel’

- ‘I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion’

- ‘I will not cut persons labouring under the stone…’

- ‘I will abstain from the seduction of females, or males, of freeman or slaves.’

- ‘While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the Art, respected by all, in all times. Should I violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot.’

In the Old Hippocratic Oath, Greek gods have a major influence in the community in which Hippocrates practices. He portrayed his teachers as parents and children of his teachers as his brothers. This showed just how much respect a healer held towards his teachers. A healer would pass on the Art to his ‘brothers’, own children and disciples bound by the Oath. Euthanasia and abortion were strictly prohibited by healers. Caesarian sections were not performed by healers, but by trained practitioners. The healers were expected to maintain strict healer-patient barrier and any breach in this sacred relationship was deemed unethical. The last statement was mysteriously omitted in the new Hippocratic oath.