I wish to make it clear to any whom read this; that I hold anyone who gives an oath, pledge or affirmation of any kind, to the highest degree of regard and scrutiny. These forms of solemn declarations or formal or solemn promise or agreements, to do or refrain from doing something should never been taken lightly. Not by the person making them or the recipient of them. (The patient in the case of the Hippocratic Oath) Nor by that people who would judge the ones making them. It must be noted that the Hippocratic Oath is neither a requirement nor do many schools in the US require students to listen to the reading of the Oath at graduation as in the past. It is my sincere belief that practitioners who hold this Oath to be sacred, and strive not only for continued education in their field but continually seek to guard their moral center from those that would corrupt it, are the only ones in the medical field today worthy of holding the title Physician. Without a center to guide their judgment and morality, we as patients are at the mercy of the judgments and morality of those guiding them. (Pharmaceutical companies, Non-Medical Hospital administration or others that do not have our best interest at heart) The Hippocratic Oath is a way for physicians to pledge to keep and guard that center of morality that needs to be there for the benefit of all patients. Below is the original oath, (with some notes and highlights made by me), and below the oath is what I believe to be a true and honest description of what the individual paragraphs mean. The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals. Of historic and traditional value, the oath is considered a rite of passage for practitioners of medicine in many countries, although nowadays the modernized version of the text varies among them. The Hippocratic Oath (horkos) is one of the most widely known of Greek medical texts. Its original intent required a new student of medicine to swear that he will uphold a number of professional moral and ethical standards in order to be granted entrance into school. 1. I swear by Apollo, (the healer), Asclepius, (the healing aspect of the medical arts), Hygieia, (health, cleanliness, and sanitation), and Panacea, (universal remedy), and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement: 2. To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art; and that by my teaching, I will impart a knowledge of this art to my own sons, and to my teacher's sons, and to disciples bound by an indenture and oath according to the medical laws, and no others. 3. I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone. 4. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion. 5. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts. 6. I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art. 7. In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves. 8. All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. 9. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practise my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.