Examining the interface between medicine and faith
I wanted to relate the contents of an article that I've just read in the most recent Triple Helix (the journal of the Christian Medical Foundation, Winter 2018, not yet available as a free PDF, but soon...), because it really opened my eyes to the positive aspects of Conscious Objection (CO). So often we are … Continue reading Conscious Objection Defended
I was immensely encouraged a couple of weeks ago when I attended a conference on Ethics and Palliative Care at Riddell Hall in Belfast. It was so good to sit and listen to people whose job it is to care for those who are dying, by compassionate application of their medical skills, mediated through a … Continue reading Dying Well
I am disappointed in my profession. There are so many times when I am proud of my job, and my colleagues; proud of what we do and how we do it; proud of what we say, how we speak out about things that matter. Now is not one of those times. Where are the outspoken … Continue reading “…is for good men to do nothing”
[Hippocratic Oath VI] It takes a lot to make me angry. It takes a lot to motivate me into public dissent. Right now, the threat of abortion being legalised and, even worse, normalised, in Northern Ireland, is that motivation. Which is why I was here today: "Neither will I administer a poison to anybody … Continue reading I protested today pt.2
[Hippocratic Oath V] Want to know why medical doctors in the Western world no longer subscribe to the Hippocratic Oath? "Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion." That's … Continue reading I protested today pt.1
We looked at a biblical theology of work and leisure in part 1, but after all that groundwork, are we any further on? Are we any closer to getting to a cause for burnout, or a solution to preventing burnout, or treatment for it? Let's see... Why does it happen? Every single person is different. I … Continue reading Avoiding burnout pt. 2 (or, breaking free from total work by doing nothing)
We've just returned from a lovely week in the Republic of Ireland at a conference with brothers and sisters in the Lord. It was a busy time, but refreshing and joyful. It was a little taste of Heaven, in fact. Not least because no-one was sick while I was providing medical cover on the Friday! … Continue reading Avoiding burnout pt. 1 (or, how to give God glory through work and leisure)
[Hippocratic Oath IV] What's it all about, really? Medicine, I mean. What is the point of this crazy job that we do? Promoting wellbeing? Complete forms for pleasure and profit? "I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgement, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing." Ah, … Continue reading The road to health is paved with good intentions
[Hippocratic Oath III] "We are family... " Profound words from Sister Sledge. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure that she was a real nun... "To hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine … Continue reading The cost of knowledge
[Hippocratic Oath II] OK, here goes with the first part. We're going to top and tail the Hippocratic Oath. There's good reason for this... You know bookends? Those two things that stop your Kindle from falling over, right? No seriously, the two angled sculptures which go on either end of your carefully curated line … Continue reading I swear by Apollo…
