A covenant between physician and patient. An innovation by a graduating class.

A class of medical school seniors desired more than the traditional graduation ceremony. They planned and presented a "baccalaureate service" to give voice to deeply felt concerns. A part of this service was a covenant in the form of a responsive reading between the new physicians and the public. The covenant, written for the occasion, encompasses mutual understanding and agreement between physician and patient, thereby avoiding pitfalls and anachronisms associated with traditional oaths and codes.