New MBBS batch of GMCH, Chandigarh, took Charak Shapath

Over 144 students of the new MBBS batch of GMCH (Government Medical College & Hospital), Chandigarh took the Charak Shapath in English during the 31st new academic session inauguration.

After National Medical Commission (NMC) has suggested that the traditional Hippocratic Oath of medical colleges must be replaced with Charak Shapath, more than 144 students of the new MBBS batch of GMCH (Government Medical College & Hospital), Chandigarh took the Charak Shapath in English during the White coat ceremony of 31st new academic session inauguration.

NMC suggestion has elicited varied responses from the medical community. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is promoting the Indian medicine practices through various AYUSH initiatives and Charak Samhita is the foundational text of ancient Indian Medicine. Despite the opposition from Indian Medical Association (IMA), last year NMC included one-week AYUSH training in the MBBS internship program.

On the other hand, the Hippocratic Oath is attributed to Hippocrates, a Greek physician of the classical period. The Oath is a charter of ethical principles that physicians have sworn to over the ages to uphold in the practice of the allopathic profession. 

Modern codes of medical ethics were created by the American Medical Association and British Medical Association and these are broadly rooted in the Hippocratic Oath. They also draw from other sources and no one ever universally accepted any version of the oath.

Charak Samhita is an evolved system of understanding and treating disease and is a collection of discussions and commentaries on medical practices.

Another college that took Charak Shapath

The students of Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali, took the Charak Shapath in Hindi. Senior doctors of the city opine that it doesn’t matter what the name of the oath is as long as that reminds us of all our duties, responsibilities and ethics, as reported by Indian Express.

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