The Hippocratic Oath: Teaching
The Hippocratic Oath says a lot about the quality of those who teach students the art of medicine. Those teachers are considered as dear as parents. And it goes on to say that I will impart my medical knowledge (judgment) and skills without reservation to those succeeding generations of students who desire to learn and who adhere to the spirit and laws which govern the profession of medicine and to no others.
In surgery and in learning how to do surgical procedures, a simple and practical guideline goes like this. See one, do one (many), and teach one. This sounds almost silly, but that’s how this business works. It takes practice—lots of practice. And the teaching of good medicine and surgery prepares a student like you can’t imagine. This brings great confidence and adds amazing quality of life to those living out the dream of being physicians and peace and satisfaction to those patients they treat. Teaching is a major catalyst in the doctor patient bond.
Notice that the requirement of those chosen to be doctors is based on their tenacious desire to learn medicine and adhere to the spirit and laws of medicine. It’s a big commitment to be a doctor, and you must really want to know how the human being works, how the human works when burdened with a disease, and how the human works when therapy is initiated. You must love it and be ready to work very hard for years and years in preparation and then throughout your career. It’s a small group of students who end up with a lot of quality who selflessly adhere to that spirit and those laws, and none other, meaning that we do not share our trade secrets with anybody but ourselves, and pass them on only to those very eager to the cause of healing.
In essence, Californians are assured high quality medical and surgical help if physicians are allowed to do their job, which is to remove diseases from them, if those Californians hold up their end of the deal and don’t violate that mission.
When the practice of medicine goes unhindered, the teamwork between doctor and patient is enviable and spectacular. Concern is the glue or bond that secures the patient’s trust in a physician throughout a very serious process, from when you meet till the last day your services are needed. Care is trust in, faith in, or belief in; and practice makes perfect. Over time and repetition, it steadily became evident to me that the patient becomes the most important teacher of all.
Medicine has become the property of the tyrant
Thomas Sowell said about believing, ”Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true, but many other things are believed simply because they were asserted repeatedly, and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence”.
Physicians have become the slaves of Newsom here in California. By giving him access to and ownership of their skills and judgment, those physicians have waivered or sacrificed their right to independently diagnose and treat patients. This is very dangerous for patients because the believability of the scientific evidence presented to support a particular mode of treatment is relevant here, as it is now the property of a tyrant.
Newsom’s science concerning medicine is dead wrong. Most of his false teaching, false science, and false prophecy is based on repeated assertions and not on demonstrable truth. Just look at the covid-19 disaster. Look at climate change. Look at the constant new mandates of the “Public Health Department”. And because physicians are slaves and obedient to Newsom’s tyranny, is it any wonder why they won’t speak out? That’s why doctors don’t care now. It’s because Newsom doesn’t care about them, about you, and about me. That is a breach of contract!
It is also of interest to me and hopefully to you that medicine and doctors are needed in all the industries of California. Everything from restaurants to clothing stores to plumbing companies to engineering contractors to truckers and the free air we breathe. All these industries contain human beings. If Newsom owns doctors, which he does, their involvement in these industries is simply to give Newsom the thumbs up for any totalitarian regulation he dictates, in the name of safety and humanitarianism, which in truth is in the name of danger, destruction, and prejudice. There is no scientific method, requiring pathologists and other physicians to establish many of the policies being carried out, but rather false science and false teaching. Think of the EPA, HUD, labor unions, Cal OSHA, JCAHO, EBT, Medi-Cal, and on and on. Truly, the ethical skills and sound judgment of physicians have become weapons of disability and purveyors of prejudice.
The necessity of fiscal discipline
In a prosperous society it is human nature (or behavior) to become complacent and fiscally undisciplined and lose sight of the “good” hard work needed to become successful. People tend toward spending money and lounging and enjoying life. On the other hand, when economic times get tough, this drives saving and planning for your retirement. Buying a home and helping your kids get through college, paying for insurance and property taxes become important issues. The concept of the zero-sum budget (check out author Holly Johnson) offers common sense financial procedures to optimize your success.
Fiscal discipline is learned and a necessary big part of the teaching of doctors and patients alike. I think that a brief and simple mini course regarding zero-sum budgeting should be a requirement of the basic science curriculum of every medical student in California, and throughout America. That also goes for young couples building their families. You must get past those cursed student loans before you can start building wealth.
Savvy accounting between doctor and patient will handily keep Newsom and his sticky fingers out of the financial arrangement between the two. Healthcare insurance costs are destroying our economy. A happy motto is: ”Goodbye Newsom, hello healing”.
Regarding teaching when comparing doctor-patient-run medicine to Newsom-run healthcare, please answer the four questions below as we continue to dive into all six covenants:
Is medical help affordable? Is medical help competent? Is medical help satisfying? Is medical help safe?
Thanks again for your focused consideration of this matter because it is you who will decide the future history of the medical profession.
Read the first article in this series on the covenants of the Hippocratic Oath: Honor