Important information and formalities regarding the Swiss Medical Oath and the taking of the Oath
- Every qualified doctor (Swiss or foreign doctor's diploma) as well as all medical students with a completed bachelor's degree can take the oath.
- The oath is a personal decision of conscience and is taken in relation to the medical profession.
- The oath should be sworn, but may also be sworn.
- All sworn persons sign the oath personally.
- In any case, the oath must be taken by means of a (small) solemn ceremony.
- The oath can be taken in groups or by individuals. In the case of group, clinic or hospital swearing-in ceremonies (group swearing-in for short), the ceremony can be chosen freely, but should clearly have a solemn character.
- At group oaths, one person can read out the oath, which is then individually sworn by all group members. For group oaths, the relevant documents (oath to be signed personally) can be requested from the General Secretariat of the FMCH (Dufourstrasse 30, 3005 Bern; Tel: 032 329 50 00; E-mail: sekretariat@fmch.ch).
- In the case of individual swearing-in (only possible in the FMCH General Secretariat; registration required!) the person to be sworn in reads the oath out loud in order to then swear (swear) it.
- Every sworn person receives a corresponding certificate.
- Entire clinics, departments or hospitals may receive a certificate if at least 95% of the medical staff are sworn in and all future medical employees are promising the oath at the beginning of their employment.
- However, a hospital can also receive a certificate if it publicly encourages all medical staff to take the oath and thus also requests them to behave in accordance with the oath.
- Taking the oath is free.
- With the taking of the oath, everyone will become a passive member of the association "Swiss Medicine Oath" and pays no membership fee.
- All sworn persons are listed on the association’s website with their surname, first name, place of origin (or home country for non-Swiss nationals), date of swearing-in and membership status, unless a member expressly prohibits this.