Good Samaritans in a Profession Defined by Service

This week, many people celebrated #GoodSamaritanDay. The idea of the “Good Samaritan” originates from a biblical parable in which a man was robbed, beaten and left for dead on the side of a road and a complete stranger from a different culture and religion tended to the man’s wounds and saw to his care. Today, the term has become synonymous for performing selfless acts of kindness without regard to race, religion or creed.

Physicians are called to deliver the best care possible to their patients, every day. At the beginning of their career, they take an oath to do no harm and to put the patient at the center of all of their decisions. They dedicate their lives to lifelong learning in service of their patients.

Even while the medical profession is defined by service, there are physicians whose service extends beyond the examination room.

Right now, there are physicians…

who put themselves at risk of bodily harm to aid those in war-torn regions abroad

who are working to increase access to the most vulnerable among us at home,

who are simply going that extra mile for a patient in desperate need of hope.

Even as the ground beneath us seems to ceaselessly shift, with healthcare reform, technological revolution and expectations for higher quality from increasingly savvy patients, one constant remains: Helping those in need.

ABIM thanks all doctors, especially those “Good Samaritans”, for your selfless service to patients and the public.