Hippocratic Oath -- Modern Version
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.
I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
Written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, and used in many medical schools today.
希波格拉底誓言——我宣誓,要尽我最大的努力和我最好的判断力去实现我的誓言:
我将非常尊重和学习我们的医学前辈历尽千辛万苦所获得的科学成果及医学知识。我也将十分乐意去传授这些知识给我的后来者及未来的医生。为了病人本人的利益,我将采取一切必要的诊断和治疗措施,同时,我一定要避免两种不正当的倾向:即过度治疗或无作用的治疗。我将牢记,尽管医学是一门(严谨的)科学,但是医生本人对病人的爱心,同情心,及理解有时比外科的手术刀和药物还重要。我不知道的时候就要说“我不知道”,我不应该为此感到羞愧。如果其他的专业人士能够帮助我的病人,我会请求他们的帮助。我将尊重病人的隐私。我知道病人告诉我的有关他们疾病的情况别人不应该知道。极为重要的是我的工作常常与病人的生死有关。
如果经我治疗救了一条命,
我会感谢所有帮助过我的人。如果病人经我治疗无效而死亡,这个非常重大的责任应当促使我虚心检讨自己的不足。同时,我要记住,我是医生但不是上帝(我不能因为一个病人的罪恶而耽误他的治疗。)我还要让自己记住,我不是在治疗一张病人发烧的记录纸也不是恶性肿瘤本身, 而是一个活生生的人。他的病可能会影响到他的家人并造成其沉重的家庭经济负担。我的责任是要考虑到所有的这些事。这样做,才是真正替病人着想。我将尽可能的参与疾病预防工作,因为预防永远胜过治疗。我将记住我永远是社会的一员,我对社会负有一定责任。我知道组成这个社会的成员可能是身心健康的也可能是不健康的。我会遵循我的誓言,这样我会为生活和行医感到愉快。我活著的时候希望得到大家的尊重,我离开人世以后希望大家记住我为他们做过的有益的事。对于来求助于我的病人,我一定要拿出我最精湛的医术,当看到他们身体康复的时候我会倍感愉快。