Declaration of Geneva: the Physicians Oath

Another blog entry on this topic.
Physicians oath/Declaration of Geneva
http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/geneva/.


At the time of being admitted as a member of the medical profession:




•I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;

•I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due;

•I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity; the health of my patient will be my first consideration;

•I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honor and the noble traditions of the medical profession; my colleagues will be my brothers;

•I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient;

•I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from the time of conception, even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity;

•I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honor.



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Is there any dispute that this is a "physicians oath".. Why then does it seem that peopel are trying to limit a physicians right to call him or herself a physician when they have indeed taken this oath.  If you arent a licensed physician in America, and you go to say Africa and practice in the third world, are you not a physician.  Does a state have the monopoly to decide what you can or can not say about your profession.  Again this is blasphemy.
I must report here the the unlicensed practice of medicine is a federal offense in America.  If one has no license and writes a prescription (save for a resident in training) one may be prosecuted.  Of course! 
Did you think that limiting what one may call ones self you are going to cut down on unauthorized practice?   Are there a number of cases where a guy called himself a doctor and was held legally liable for not giving someone birth control pills or the like?  Cmon.  This is a free democracy. We do not need to run amok in paranoia that the "physicians are coming, the physicians are coming" and maybe one doesnt have a license (yet).   Lets be diligent human beings and call a physician a physician.  And if you wish to add the word licensed or unlicensed before the job description, so be it.  I will profess that I have no license to 'practice medicine',  but I am entitled to opinion and the right to disperse knowledge in a gratuitous capacity.  If you are asking me for a professional opinion on whether you should have an operation, I am not your doctor and am not able to conduct myself in such a manner. If you are my friend or family, I may indeed have a knowledgable thought on this matter.  I wont be your doctor, but I am able to be a physician who heals. Be that through internet commentary, physical presence or phone conversation/public discourse.  Physicans heal.  We are healers.   We are not magically only capable of healing with the implement of a license to make us 'relevant'.  We are relevant.  We are physicians.