The senior clinician and Duke-NUS Governing Board member then led the students in reciting the Hippocratic Oath, a formal pledge that they will recite for a second time at their Graduation. In unison, Duke-NUS’ newest aspiring clinicians vowed to do no harm and uphold the sacred principles of their new profession.
For Class of 2027 student Ms Nabilah binte Abdul Rahman, the ancient oath represents principles that she strongly believes in. “Being a doctor means being someone patients trust with their health problems and wellbeing,” she commented. “Patients come at their most vulnerable and reveal private details about themselves, trusting doctors with their health, recovery and personal information.”
Following the recitation of the oath, the White Coat ceremony was almost at its end. In his closing remarks, Associate Professor Anantham Devanand, Director of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Medical Humanities Institute, shared his perspective on how the students can find a personal sense of meaning in the everyday of clinical medicine.
“Competence brings us satisfaction,” he said. “Finding meaning in a familiar task often allows us to go beyond this and find, in the most routine of tasks, a deep sense of joy and gratitude.”
With his remarks, the formal ceremony came to an end. The students took their first step towards a future of becoming excellent clinicians—with family, friends and faculty by their side.