Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Synapsis Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 20 text:

Dear Classmates, The days of final exams are long behind us. The days of case management without total responsibility are rapidly coming to an end. The days of practicing someone else ' s brand of medicine are surely num- bered. And the days of our minute by minute, day by day, year by year final exams are approaching rapidly as we prepare to embark on a lifetime of indi- vidual practice in the art and science of healing and helping other human beings. As for me, the past four years have been fraught with crisis, joy, sadness, learning, disappointment, love, hate, anxiety, popular and unpopular decisions. But in retrospect, with one eye fixed on my future respon- sibilities, the canceled exams, the away rotations, the questionable grades, all of the frustrations of the past four years seem very small in comparison. A devious plan begins to come into focus, and as I wonder if that plan was intentional or unintentional, I realize that it doesn ' t really matter. I have been taught the basic lan- guage of medicine, I have been under the tutelage of city physicians and country physicians, ivory tower specialists and hard working generalists; I have been taught medicine, but more important, I have been forced into teaching myself and bringing myself to a level of competence that I can live with. I wonder if that wasn ' t the plan all along? I have learned to put aside the irritants and devote my full attention to the P patient in my charge. I wonder if that wasn ' t the plan all along? I have learned to be independent without being impudent. I wonder if the plan was to keep me just angry enough and just disdainful enough to make myself good out of spite? Whatever the plan, whatever the method, whatever the means, the result is the measure of success. For my money, success has been achieved with each of us. Today I am a DOCTOR OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE, a physician in every respect. I have achieved a lifelong goal that would not have been pos- sible without the total experience provided by the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. For that I pledge my eternal gratitude and support. As we go our separate ways and begin our separate careers, I would ask that each of you give serious consideration to the end result and join me in my pledge. May God go with each of you. Sincerely, H. Sprague Taveau, IV, D.O. Chairman, Class of ' 77

Page 19 text:

saa Koai s iF - • ' -y:-. -v sie(}ji(ii!iic 0m I do hereby aihtm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter. I will be mindful always of my great responsibility to preserve the health and life of my patients, to retain their confidence and respect, both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always nature ' s laws and the body ' s inherent capacity for recovery. I will be ever vigilant in aiding the general welfare of the community, sustaining its laws and institutions, not engaging in those practices which will in any way bring shame or discredit upon myself or my profession. I will give no deadly drugs to any, though it be asked of me. I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices. I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college, I will be loyal and strive always for its best and for the interests of the students who will come after me. I will be ever alert to and adhere to and develop the princ- iples of Osteopathy as taught by Andrew Taylor Still.

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