VIRTUES & VIRTUES & IDEALS OF THE IDEALS OF THE

MEDICAL MEDICAL PROFESSIONPROFESSION

VIRTUESVIRTUES

Virtues are traits of character or Virtues are traits of character or habits of disposition to think and act habits of disposition to think and act in ways that are good; to do what is in ways that are good; to do what is morally right.morally right.

It is moral excellence that puts order It is moral excellence that puts order into life and makes the possessor into life and makes the possessor and the act good.and the act good.

KINDS OF VIRTUESKINDS OF VIRTUES

TheologicalTheological CardinalCardinal Moral acquired virtuesMoral acquired virtues

Theological VirtuesTheological Virtues

The three theological virtues are:The three theological virtues are: Faith - steadfastness in belief - steadfastness in belief Hope - expectation of and desire of Hope - expectation of and desire of

receiving; refraining from despair and receiving; refraining from despair and capability of not giving up capability of not giving up

Love or Charity - selfless, unconditional, Love or Charity - selfless, unconditional, and voluntary loving-kindness. Helping and voluntary loving-kindness. Helping your neighbors. your neighbors.

Cardinal VirtuesCardinal Virtues(Primary Moral Virtues)(Primary Moral Virtues)

prudence prudence distinguish between what is right and what is distinguish between what is right and what is

wrong. (correct judgment)wrong. (correct judgment)

JusticeJustice Justice is the constant will to give another his Justice is the constant will to give another his

due.due.

Temperance or moderationTemperance or moderation Fortitude or courageFortitude or courage

Courage is doing what is right without undue Courage is doing what is right without undue fear. It is resoluteness.fear. It is resoluteness.

MORAL ACQUIRED MORAL ACQUIRED VIRTUESVIRTUES

FidelityFidelity HonestyHonesty HumilityHumility CompassionCompassion ConscientiousnessConscientiousness TrustworthinessTrustworthiness PrayerfulnessPrayerfulness

FIDELITYFIDELITY

Faithfulness to trust and promiseFaithfulness to trust and promise In health care, fidelity is fulfilling the In health care, fidelity is fulfilling the

promise of the health care professional promise of the health care professional to be a patient advocateto be a patient advocate

In research, fidelity is fulfilling the In research, fidelity is fulfilling the promise of the researcher to be a promise of the researcher to be a research subject and public advocateresearch subject and public advocate

In education, fidelity is fulfilling the In education, fidelity is fulfilling the promise of the teacher to be a student promise of the teacher to be a student advocateadvocate

HONESTYHONESTY Honesty is both truthfulness and Honesty is both truthfulness and

integrityintegrity In health care, it is telling the patient and In health care, it is telling the patient and

his family, the truth about an illness, its his family, the truth about an illness, its nature, prognosis, the justification, benefits nature, prognosis, the justification, benefits and burdens of alternative actions.and burdens of alternative actions.

In research, it is publishing accurate In research, it is publishing accurate findings, appropriately acknowledging findings, appropriately acknowledging contributions, citing source of support.contributions, citing source of support.

In education, it is giving students updated In education, it is giving students updated data and just feedback.data and just feedback.

HUMILITY, HUMILITY, COMPASSION COMPASSION

Humility is recognizing one’s Humility is recognizing one’s capabilities and limitations.capabilities and limitations.

Compassion is feeling for the Compassion is feeling for the loss/suffering of another with an loss/suffering of another with an attempt beyond obligation to help or attempt beyond obligation to help or avoid that loss/suffering. It is self-avoid that loss/suffering. It is self-sacrifice. It is focusing on the lives sacrifice. It is focusing on the lives of the marginalized, living simply so of the marginalized, living simply so others may live. It is being a friend.others may live. It is being a friend.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESSCONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Justice is the constant will to give Justice is the constant will to give another his due.another his due.

Conscientiousness is doing what one Conscientiousness is doing what one sincerely believes is one’s duty and sincerely believes is one’s duty and obligation. (motivated by a strong obligation. (motivated by a strong sense of duty) However, the conscience sense of duty) However, the conscience must be moral and correct otherwise must be moral and correct otherwise the virtue of conscientiousness can be the virtue of conscientiousness can be evil in it’s effect.evil in it’s effect.

TRUSTWORTHINESS, TRUSTWORTHINESS, PRAYERFULNESSPRAYERFULNESS

Trustworthiness in a person means Trustworthiness in a person means dependability, worthy of confidence, dependability, worthy of confidence, reliability.reliability.

Prayerfulness inclines one to seek Prayerfulness inclines one to seek God’s help in everything one does.God’s help in everything one does.

The Nature of the Medical The Nature of the Medical ProfessionProfession

A physician is a professional who A physician is a professional who "professes" the willingness to use his "professes" the willingness to use his or her specialized knowledge and or her specialized knowledge and skills, not for his or her own skills, not for his or her own purposes, but for the benefit of purposes, but for the benefit of others, especially the sick and others, especially the sick and suffering. suffering.

This is the basic moral meaning and This is the basic moral meaning and commitment of the vocation.commitment of the vocation.

Short List of Short List of Professional Ideals / AttributesProfessional Ideals / Attributes IntegrityIntegrity Respect for others (includes good manners)Respect for others (includes good manners) AccountabilityAccountability Professional responsibilityProfessional responsibility ExcellenceExcellence AltruismAltruism Commitment to social justiceCommitment to social justice

Duties of Doctors in Duties of Doctors in GeneralGeneral

A doctor must always maintain the highest standards of A doctor must always maintain the highest standards of professional conduct.professional conduct.

A doctor must practice his profession uninfluenced by A doctor must practice his profession uninfluenced by motives of profit.motives of profit.

A doctor must observe the principles of A doctor must observe the principles of The Declaration The Declaration of Genevaof Geneva approved by The World Medical Association approved by The World Medical Association

The following practices are deemed unethical:The following practices are deemed unethical:a.a. Any self advertisement except such as is expressly authorized Any self advertisement except such as is expressly authorized

by the code of medical ethics;by the code of medical ethics;b.b. Collaborate in any form of medical service in which the doctor Collaborate in any form of medical service in which the doctor

does not have professional independence;does not have professional independence;c.c. Receiving any money in connection with services rendered to a Receiving any money in connection with services rendered to a

patient other than a proper professional fee, even with the patient other than a proper professional fee, even with the knowledge of the patient.knowledge of the patient.

The Declaration of The Declaration of GenevaGeneva

(original version-1948)(original version-1948) At the time of being admitted as a At the time of being admitted as a

Member of the medical profession I Member of the medical profession I solemnly pledge myself to solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of consecrate my life to the service of humanity :humanity : I will give to my teachers the respect I will give to my teachers the respect

and gratitude which is their due;and gratitude which is their due; I will practice my profession with I will practice my profession with

conscience and dignity;conscience and dignity;

The The health and life health and life of my patient will be my first of my patient will be my first consideration; consideration;

I will respect the secrets which are confided in I will respect the secrets which are confided in me; me;

I will maintain by all means in my power, the I will maintain by all means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession; profession;

My colleagues will be my brothersMy colleagues will be my brothers I will not permit considerations of religion, I will not permit considerations of religion,

nationality, race, party politics or social standing nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient;to intervene between my duty and my patient;

I will maintain the utmost respect I will maintain the utmost respect for human life, for human life, from the time of its from the time of its conceptionconception, even under threat, I will , even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity; contrary to the laws of humanity;

I make these promises solemnly, I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.freely and upon my honour.

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

Duties of Doctors to the SickDuties of Doctors to the Sick A doctor must always bear in mind the obligation of A doctor must always bear in mind the obligation of

preserving human life from conception. preserving human life from conception. A doctor owes to his patient complete loyalty and all A doctor owes to his patient complete loyalty and all

the resources of his science. Whenever an the resources of his science. Whenever an examination or treatment is beyond his capacity he examination or treatment is beyond his capacity he should summon another doctor who has the should summon another doctor who has the necessary ability.necessary ability.

A doctor shall preserve absolute secrecy on all he A doctor shall preserve absolute secrecy on all he knows about his patient because of the confidence knows about his patient because of the confidence entrusted in him.entrusted in him.

A doctor must give emergency care as a A doctor must give emergency care as a humanitarian duty unless he is assured that others humanitarian duty unless he is assured that others are willing and able to give such care.are willing and able to give such care.

A doctor is advised to use great caution in divulging A doctor is advised to use great caution in divulging discoveries or new techniques of treatment.discoveries or new techniques of treatment.

Duties of Doctors to Each Duties of Doctors to Each OtherOther

A doctor ought to behave to his colleagues A doctor ought to behave to his colleagues as he would have them behave to him.as he would have them behave to him.

A doctor must not entice patients from his A doctor must not entice patients from his colleaguescolleagues

A doctor should certify or testify only to A doctor should certify or testify only to that which he has personally verifiedthat which he has personally verified

Duties of Doctors to the Duties of Doctors to the CommunityCommunity

Physicians, as good citizens, Physicians, as good citizens, possessed of special training should possessed of special training should disseminate advice on public health disseminate advice on public health issues. They should play their part in issues. They should play their part in enforcing the laws of the community enforcing the laws of the community and in sustaining the institutions that and in sustaining the institutions that advance the interests of humanity. advance the interests of humanity.

At all times, the physician should At all times, the physician should uphold public safetyuphold public safety

Declaration ofDeclaration ofProfessional Professional

ResponsibilityResponsibility Humanity is faced with unprecedented Humanity is faced with unprecedented

threats to its health and well-beingthreats to its health and well-being While these threats are new, physicians’ While these threats are new, physicians’

response is guided by their historical response is guided by their historical commitment to care for the sick and the commitment to care for the sick and the sufferingsuffering

A recommitment to professionalism A recommitment to professionalism underscores it as the foundation for the underscores it as the foundation for the public’s trust in medicinepublic’s trust in medicine

Strengthening Strengthening ProfessionalismProfessionalism

Reaffirm core values and principles Reaffirm core values and principles in medicine through oath takingin medicine through oath taking

Increase awareness and Increase awareness and understanding of medical codesunderstanding of medical codes

Promote mechanisms to encourage Promote mechanisms to encourage compliance with ethical guidelinescompliance with ethical guidelines

Foster lifelong mentoring and the Foster lifelong mentoring and the importance of role modelsimportance of role models

IN SUMMARYIN SUMMARY

Without virtues and ideals, Without virtues and ideals, healthcare delivery, research and healthcare delivery, research and education are only business education are only business contacts. With virtues and ideals, contacts. With virtues and ideals, they are each covenants of trust they are each covenants of trust moving away from a service that is moving away from a service that is priced to one that is priceless. priced to one that is priceless.

to cure to cure sometimes…sometimes…to relieve often to relieve often and… and… to comfort alwaysto comfort always