In the Medicine, we discuss the "Four Principles of Medical Ethics".
These points are of such vital importance that they are required knowledge for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Canada board exams:
Non-Maleficience, Beneficience, Justice, and Autonomy
- Non-Maleficience = first do no evil
- Beneficience = a mandate to do do good
- Justice = patients deserve truth and honesty and full disclosure
- Autonomy = patients have the final right to decide. (example.: certain religions refusal of blood products even if it means death.)
We also discuss the CanMeds principles, although it is more of a "Mission Statement" for Medicine (that many feel is artificial and contrived and needs to be reworked to become more organic.)
CanMeds principles dictate that one strives to be a "Medical Expert" through mastery of 6 spheres of Medicine.
- Scholar
- Health Advocate
- Professional
- Communicator
- Collaborator
- Manager