 |
| Hippocrates wrote over 60 treaties compiled in the Hippocratic Corpus, over 2,500 years ago. It was the first, and probably most significant medical document of western civilization. |
- Natural talents
- A good education
- A competent instructor
- Early study
- Industry
- Adequate time.
Hippocrates said:
The chief of these, is natural talent. In want of this, all is useless. But if this is possessed, the art may be acquired, by due attainments previously;—and by beginning to study it at an early age, and in a proper place. We must, moreover, be industrious, and continue long in study, by which means the science becomes, as it were, natural,—rapidly increases,—extends its researches, and brings forth mature fruit.He added:
Those who fully attend to the above precepts, will attain to a true knowledge of medicine, and should every where be considered as masters of their profession, and not merely nominal physicians. They may come forward with confidence; whilst ignorance proves but a poor foundation, and an empty treasury at all times; the enemy of all confidence and trust; a source of audacity as well as of timidity—since timidity is the offspring of weakness, as audacity is of ignorance. Science and opinion govern the world: the one points out our knowledge—the latter our deficiency. Things of a sacred character should be unveiled to the pure alone; for it is sacrilegious to communicate them to the profane, before they have been initiated into the mysteries of science.Of course the document this comes from is about 2,500 years old, and was written at a time when physicians were the medical profession. Today physicains have many helpers, that include nurses, respiratory therapists, etc. So, given this fact, I think we can safely update this to account for all healthcare workers
Reference:
- Hippocrates, "Of the physician," epitomised from the original Latin translations by John Redman Coxe, "The writings of Hippocrates and Galen," 1846, Philadelphia, Lindsay and Blakiston
Rick Frea's Facebook
RT Cave on Twitter
1 comment:
I am coming on my second year in the field and lately I've been starting to wonder if maybe I was not cut out to be a respiratory therapist. I felt like I had the makings of a great therapist in me when I started as a student. I had so much passion then and was determined to learn as much as I could and be the best I could be in my scope of practice...though now I feel in spite of how much studying I do it just can't make up for sheer "natural talent". I have so much admiration for therapists like you, Rick, who seem to have the booksmarts as well as raw talent.
Post a Comment