‘First do no harm’: Does the Hippocratic Oath and its medical principles still have a role in today’s medicine?

The Hippocratic Oath, written by the father of medicine, Hippocrates in 430 BCE has been sworn for millennia across the world by new doctors. Its nine articles outline how a doctor must treat their patients effectively, abiding by the core ethical principles that underscore Good Medical Practice today, including a focus on beneficence and non-maleficence. Today, the Gods of Olympus are no longer routinely worshipped, and we benefit from vast medical and technological advances, so the question arises whether the principles of Hippocratic medicine are still relevant? On the island of Kos, Hippocrates' birthplace, there continues the tradition of an annual 'oath swearing' ceremony for students that have completed medical school both from Greece and across the world. Whilst this event can be used to celebrate the achievements of the new doctors in training, is there still a need for them to retrace the routes of the profession? This article aims to explore the core principles of the Oath and Hippocratic medicine and determine their relevance in today's modern society.