Understanding the modern relevance of the Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath is a composite text that dates back thousands of years and has been rewritten many times. This text is still a key reference, both from a deontological point of view (because of the principles it promotes and the professional morality it defends) and from an ethical point of view (based on the precepts of the ancients, concerning the ethos of practitioners and the doctor-patient relationship). All medical doctors in France pronounce it at least once in their professional life, at the end of their PhD defense. Nevertheless, this text and this moment are sometimes judged to be outmoded or even outdated. Based on a philosophical methodology, paying attention to the contribution of human sciences, the aim of this article is to highlight how the Hippocratic Oath still enlightens us today, in the current context of paradigm shifts (the doctor-patient relationship, model of co-decision; contractualization; market logic, etc.) and multiple crises (health crises, resource constraints, wars, etc.). The result of this survey is that while medicine is both an art and a science the Oath does however, emphasize the humanist dimension of daily practice. That's why reading and pronouncing the Hippocratic Oath implies taking an interest not only in understanding its deeper meaning and spirit beyond the letter of the text, but also in what we wish to pass on to future generations in terms of key ethical references.