FIMA Year Book 2009 - Federation of Islamic Medical Associations

Problem Based Learningsystem for an aspiring physicianstarting from elementary to postgraduate levels including describingattributes of a physician, his rightsand obligations. Deep study ofmedicine with reflection shows thephysician the majesty of the Creatorand this deepens and strengthensiman (Jalabi 1974, Jalabi 1978,Kasule 1980). A believing physicianwill be more ethical in his researchand practice. Ethics involves: makingsure the physician has the appropriatelevel of knowledge and skill, chargingreasonable fees for services, etiquettewith patients especially of the oppositegender, treating patients after theirconsent. There have been severalattempts to define medical ethics fora Muslim physician, ancient andmodern. Al Tabari described theIslamic code of medical ethics in 970AD to include the following: personalcharacteristics of the physicianobligations towards patients,obligations towards the community,obligations towards colleagues, andobligations to his assistants. TheIslamic Medical Association ofthe US and Canada (presently theIslamic Medical Association ofNorth America -IMANA) adoptedthe Oath of a Muslim Physicianin 1977 as an alternative to theHippocratic oath. The Islamic Codeof Medical Ethics was issued by theIslamic Organization for MedicalSciences, Kuwait 1981. Amine andEl Kadi (Athar, 1993) based medicalethics on the Qur’an “the physicianmust believe in God, and in theIslamic teachings and practice it inprivate and public life; be gratefulto his parents, teachers, and elders;be humble, modest, kind, merciful,patient, and tolerant; follow the pathof the righteous; and always seekGod’s support. The Muslim physicianmust stay abreast of current medicalknowledge, continuously improve hisskills, seek help whenever needed,and comply with legal requirementsgoverning his profession; realize thatGod is the maker and owner of hispatient’s body and mind and treathim within the framework of God’steachings; realize that life was given toman by God, that human life starts atthe time of conception, and that humanlife cannot be taken away except byGod or with His permission; realizethat God is watching and monitoringevery thought and deed; follow God’sguidelines as his only criteria, even ifthey differ with popular demand orthe patient’s wishes; not recommendnor administer any harmful material;render needed help regardless offinancial ability or ethnic origin ofthe patient; offer needed advice withconsideration for both the patient’sbody and mind; protect the patient’sconfidentiality; adopt an appropriatemanner of communication; examinea patient of the opposite sex in thepresence ot a third person wheneverfeasible; not criticize anotherphysician in the presence of patientsor health personnel, refuse paymentfor treatment of another physician orFIMA YearBook 200952