Explanation: The Hippocratic award was established by the medical school Class of 1969 as an award honoring physicians who represent the highest ideals of professionalism, humanism, and teaching prowess. Each year the graduating class selects a recipient of this honor after considering these ideals and the way in which their instructors measure up to all aspects of Hippocratic practice. The following description should help each class make their determination.
Candidates for the Award: Candidates for the Hippocratic award are full time faculty members- practicing physicians- who served as teachers and mentors for a significant portion of your education. They should be individuals whom some members of the class know well enough to judge accurately because they have seen them interact with students, patients, colleagues and a range of health care providers.
Ideals: Determination of candidates for the Hippocratic Award should include a consideration of the physician in all aspects of their teaching, research, and clinical practice- how the physician exemplifies the modern Hippocratic practitioner. Remember, medical practice is increasingly a collaborative, group effort that encompasses not just other physicians or nurses, but all health care professionals. Professional behavior includes maintaining high standards of conduct toward all, creating a functioning team, maintaining collegial relations, and incorporating modern ethical practices in daily life.
How to decide? Consider the following…
Criteria: An ideal Hippocratic physician scores strongly in all of the following categories.
- Professionalism
- Maintenance of professional behavior to all
- Maintenance of a code of practice that is clearly defined and articulated
- Shows strong concern with maintaining ethical standards of practice
- Clear understanding of ethical standards of practice
- Views self as being a part of a health care team
- Humanism
- Humane, considerate treatment of patients, students, staff, and faculty and patients’ family
- Listen to patients and their families
- Teaching Prowess
- Dedication to teaching
- Improvement of teaching standards, curriculum, all materials available to students
- Maintains friendly, professional relationship with students and takes time to demonstrate expertise
- Listens to students and understands students’ needs and learning styles
Defining the Hippocratic physician: The Hippocratic medical system is the ideal predecessor of modern western medicine- for realistic and important reasons! And this is the Hippocratic system of practice based on observation and careful, moderate administration of treatments, strict adherence to professional training and a code of professional behavior, humanistic interactions with the patient all based on belief that medical practice combines art and science
