Dr. Hossam Badrawi Official Website
A Message to the Doctors of the Future
By: Hossam Badrawi
The profession of medicine and the service of healing the sick is among the greatest and most honorable professions, deserving the highest appreciation. But, like everything else around us, knowledge has evolved along with the means of accessing it. Medical education has developed, incorporating digital tools, and the methods and speed of delivering services have changed. Physicians, nurses, and support services now work in harmony and coordination. Building a health system for any country depends on digital management with a clear vision, a costly human infrastructure, years of study and training, and sustainable funding.
Universities and their health institutions and research teams lie at the heart of this system, supported by health insurance systems that ensure funding continuity.
Last month, I was invited to deliver the graduation speech to the 2024 class of medical students at New Giza University. I took this opportunity to address not only them, but all graduating medical students.
In my speech, I said:
My children,
History is not written by coincidence—but by choice.
And in these few moments, I would like to briefly touch on some concepts that have shaped my life experience—chief among them: choice and passion.
I believe that human development can be represented by an equation—its right side reflecting human capabilities, and the left side reflecting the opportunities to use them.
Thus, expanding the scope of choice before people—enabling them to choose freely and develop their abilities to do so—is, in my view, the foundation for achieving development in any society.
You are the leaders of the future.
Leaders turn values into actions, visions into reality, obstacles into innovations, disagreements into solidarity, and risks into achievements.
They create environments where people transform challenges into remarkable successes.
Leaders are forward-moving, especially in the face of strong opposition or bad luck.
An inspiring leader thinks deeply, thinks differently, and thinks ahead—and most importantly, remains connected to the feelings and creative potential of others.
However, no great success can be achieved without passion.
Passion is the deep internal drive that makes a person enthusiastic and joyful in pursuing a particular activity—whether it’s in work, art, science, sports, or any other field.
It is what keeps you going and improving even when faced with challenges and difficulties.
Passion comes from within, not from external rewards like money or fame.
It stems from a genuine desire to achieve something, and drives innovation and development, because the person finds joy in the work they do.
When someone is passionate, they engage in their work without feeling pressure or exhaustion. They are more positive, more productive, and their passion gives them the strength to persist—even in hard times.
Passion greatly impacts the quality of life—it helps achieve self-fulfillment and happiness. It makes a person feel that they’re living in alignment with their values and goals.
To find your passion, ask yourself:
- What activity fills you with energy instead of draining you?
- What subjects are you always eager to learn about without being forced?
- What would you keep doing even if you didn’t get paid for it?
Passion is the energy that drives people to realize their potential and leave their mark on the world.
My dear children,
Success cannot be achieved without discipline in execution, which completes and empowers success.
And we must recognize that making real change requires courage.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear—but the belief that something else is more important than fear.
Passion fuels our lives. It gives us motivation and discipline. It helps us move forward despite all the pressure.
The key to creating passion in life is to discover your own talents and your role in this world.
You, the youth, must find your own voice, make your own choices, and expand your impact—no matter where you are today or where you’ll be tomorrow.
And I encourage you to inspire those you care about—your friends, colleagues, and organizations—to find their own voices and to become passionate.
As you grow in life, you’ll realize that this kind of influence and leadership comes from choice, not from a title or a position.
Now, let me speak to you about the values of practicing the greatest profession—your chosen profession:
The values of practicing medicine are the ethical and professional principles that physicians must uphold to ensure the highest standards of care with responsibility and humanity. These include:
- Compassion & Empathy
- Treat patients with humanity and respect, while understanding their feelings and needs.
- Provide care not just as physical treatment, but as psychological and social support.
- Integrity & Honesty
- Commit to telling the truth to patients and their families, clearly explaining diagnoses and treatments.
- Avoid manipulation or misleading information for personal gain.
- Confidentiality & Privacy
- Do not disclose any medical information without the patient’s consent, unless legally or ethically required.
- Respect the patient’s right to complete privacy in medical care.
- Justice & Fairness
- Provide medical care to all patients without discrimination based on race, religion, social status, or cultural background.
- Ensure fair distribution of medical resources and treatment.
- Patient Autonomy
- Give patients the right to make informed medical decisions after receiving full information about their condition and treatment options.
- Do not impose any treatment without informed consent.
- Commitment to Knowledge & Lifelong Learning
- Stay up to date with the latest medical advancements to improve healthcare quality.
- Avoid using treatments not backed by scientific evidence.
- Accountability & Responsibility
- Take responsibility for medical decisions and their consequences.
- Work in accordance with professional standards, laws, and ethical guidelines.
- Collaboration & Teamwork
- Work with diverse healthcare teams to provide the best care possible.
- Respect every team member’s role and work in a spirit of partnership.
- Dignity & Respect
- Treat all patients with complete respect, regardless of their health or social conditions.
- Avoid any behavior that could cause a patient to feel insulted or diminished.
- Non-Maleficence & Beneficence
- Abide by the principle of “First, do no harm.”
- Always aim to provide the most beneficial treatment with the least possible risk.
Practicing medicine is not just the application of science—it is a moral and human commitment requiring integrity, compassion, responsibility, and continuous learning to ensure fair and humane medical care.
You are not simply graduating as doctors—you are becoming pioneers in your field.
You are entering the medical world during an age of immense knowledge revolutions: artificial intelligence is reshaping diagnostics, gene therapy is opening new doors in treatment, and global healthcare systems are evolving at unprecedented speed.
Yet, amid all this, medicine remains—as it has always been—a noble human endeavor before it is a science or a profession.
You, the doctors of the future, your mission is not limited to treating diseases—it includes planting hope in the hearts of patients and communities.
You are the guardians of health, the bridge between pain and healing, the bearers of knowledge and compassion.
Here in Egypt—your homeland, your roots, your identity—great potential awaits you.
This land, which gave the world its first doctor in history, Imhotep, still holds a rich medical legacy and a future that needs your efforts.
Egypt is a land of resilience, challenge, and innovation. Now is the time to believe in it, build its future, and lead its healthcare renaissance.
Yes, challenges will face you. But remember: every great nation, every true renaissance, was built by those who didn’t give in to obstacles—but turned them into opportunities.
You, today’s graduates—whether working in scientific research, advancing community healthcare, or shaping health policy—your impact will make a difference here in Egypt, and across the world.
You, doctors of the future—your mission is to heal, to give hope, to uphold life.
At the beginning of your career, hold on to your passion, embrace your curiosity, and never forget:
Medicine is not just a career—it’s a calling.
Egypt is not just a homeland—it’s a responsibility.
And the future is not something to wait for—it is something we create.
