Dr Hodgkinson Visits the Birthplace of Modern Medicine

Dr Hodgkinson made a pilgrimage to the birthplace of the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, in Cos Greece. Hippocrates lived and worked in Cos in the 5th century BC. Cos is a Greek Island about 12 miles from the beautiful Turkish Anatolian ancient coastal city of Halicarnassus, now known as Bodrum. After lecturing at two plastic surgical meetings in Istanbul, attended by the world leaders in cosmetic plastic surgery to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Society of Plastic Surgery, Dr Hodgkinson used the opportunity to travel to southwestern Turkey and visit the Asklepieion at Cos (like a medical spa and where Hippocrates was the leading physician). Other fascinating cities visited during the pilgrimage included Knidos and Symi. Every medical student says the Oath of Hippocrates at their medical graduation and it behooves us all to ponder this solemn oath which enforces a strict moral and ethical code for the practice of medicine. In today’s medical environment of intense commercialization within a framework of over-regulation and third party involvement, Hippocrates’ message to us to be humane and modest is well worth pondering and practicing.

 

Published July 13, 2011