The Rhazes’ views on qualifications of physicians, a historical review

Abstract

Testing physicians and determining their professional qualifications have been significant issues in the educational and medical system of the Islamic civilization. The purpose of this study is to explain the views of Rhazes on how to test physicians in the book Al-Hawi Fi Al-Tibb. This library study has been done with descriptive-analytical method and using the keywords of medical test, medical ethics and medical history. Rhazes emphasizes various criteria by holding a comprehensive test to determine the competence of physicians with the aim of evaluating different aspects of their knowledge and attitude. He enumerates the provisions of the test in three sections: individual characteristics, theoretical and practical medical sections. The results show that Rhazes paid attention to all aspects related to a doctor’s personal and social habits and behavior and his relationship with the patients. A number of post-Rhazes physicians have also mentioned to the test of physician before hiring them but their content does not have the coherence of Rhazes’ statements. Most of the material mentioned in Al-Hawi Fi al-Tibb is still worth rethinking after hundreds of years. It is suggested that medical students and physicians use the ethical and professional points mentioned by this great scientist in his valuable book in order to make the high position of medical science more visible.