A moving ceremony took place in the sacred precinct of the Asklepieion of Kos—the birthplace of medicine and the homeland of Hippocrates—to administer the oath to outstanding new doctors from Greek and international university medical schools.
The event was the highlight of Hippocratic Week, which included the Hippocratic School, a Symposium, and the Oath Ceremony.
It was attended by leading institutional, scientific, and academic figures, highlighted the enduring connection between modern medical science and the values and principles of Hippocratic philosophy, reminding all that “ethics, knowledge, and dedication to humanity remain the core of the medical profession.”
This year’s Hippocratic Week and Hippocratic School—with stops in Athens, Larissa, and Kos—brought together 40 students and professors from 15 medical schools representing universities in Greece, the U.S., Argentina, Canada, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Austria, Oman, Tunisia, Cyprus, and India, demonstrating the institution’s international reach.
The direct reenactment of the Oath-taking was a global event, intended to send a universal message to the ends of the earth.
Organization and participation
The ceremony was organized by the World Hippocratic Institute of Doctors, the International Hippocratic Foundation of Kos, the Athens Medical Association, and the Kos Medical Association, along with the Municipality of Kos, and held under the auspices of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic.
For the first time, the administration of the Hippocratic Oath at the Asklepieion of Kos was broadcast live worldwide, following permission from the Ephorate of Antiquities, which offered its annual support to the event.
Participation this year was the largest ever, both in the number of doctors taking the oath at the Asklepieion and in the number of participants from Greek and foreign universities.
Dr. George Patoulis, President of the Athens Medical Association and of the World Hippocratic Institute of Doctors, expressed his profound honor and emotion at participating in the ceremony for the excelling doctors in Kos. He emphasized that:
“This ceremony constitutes a hymn to excellence, knowledge, and ethics—values that Hippocrates established and which continue to guide modern medicine.”
Dr. Patoulis added that the institution, which the Athens Medical Association has supported since 2011, contributes decisively to the global dissemination of the Hippocratic Ideal and medical excellence. He pledged to continue promoting the work and legacy of Hippocrates to future generations of doctors.
The Hippocratic Week continued with a two-day scientific Symposium at the International Hippocratic Foundation of Kos.
Related: Hippocrates Statue Unveiled in His Hometown Kos, Greece
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