College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences

CBTS PhD graduates will recite “The Biomedical Scientist’s Oath” at commencement 

February 15, 2024 • MIG, P&A, P&N, SBS, students

Each year at HSC’s commencement ceremony, many of our new graduates recite oaths to pledge their commitment to the standards of their chosen professions. 

This year, for the first time ever, College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences PhD students will join their fellow graduates by reciting The Biomedical Scientist’s Oath.  

We are excited for our graduates to join in this important tradition that marks their entry into the next phase of their careers and allows them to publicly state their values and commitment to their roles in advancing scientific knowledge to create healthier communities. 

The oath is based on “The Scientist’s Oath,” which was created to reinforce the public’s trust in science and scientists. By adding the oath to our commencement ceremony, HSC joins prestigious universities across the country in publicly affirming the importance of integrity in science. 

The oath also reinforces CBTS’ steadfast commitment to excellence in education and research and its mission to inspire and empower the next generations of researchers and health care professionals to take on critical health challenges. 

Here is the oath that CBTS PhD graduates will recite:  

The Biomedical Scientist’s Oath 

As I embark on my career as a scientist, I willingly pledge that: 

I will practice and support a scientific process that is based on logic, intellectual rigor, personal integrity, and an uncompromising respect for truth; 

I will perform my professional activities and interactions with scientific integrity and respect for the field and my peers; 

I will acknowledge my role as an ambassador of science to the public, and strive to be honest, respectful, and unbiased with engaging the public; 

I will value my work and its contribution to the scientific community; 

I will never let the potential for personal recognition or advancement cause me to act in a way that violates the public trust in science or in me as a scientist; 

I will foster a community that is inclusive of all and recognize that diversity cultivates innovation, creativity, and progress; 

I will acknowledge and honor the contributions of scientists who have preceded me and become a worthy role model deserving of respect by those who follow me; 

And I will always be cognizant that my work is for the advancement of knowledge and the benefit of all humanity. 

By pronouncing this Oath, I declare my commitment to these professional standards and goals.