Public Relations of UPNVJ – The Chancellor of the National Development University “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ), Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, MA, Comm., emphasized that the high level of public trust in the medical profession must be maintained through professionalism, integrity, adherence to ethics, and a commitment to patient safety. This message was conveyed at the 85th Inauguration and Oath-taking Ceremony of the Faculty of Medicine of UPNVJ for the 2025/2026 Academic Year at the Allwynn Grand Ballroom, CIBIS Park, Jakarta, Wednesday (10/6/2026).

In her remarks, Prof. Venus explained that the level of public trust in various professions is continuously measured annually. This measurement is important because public trust is closely linked to a profession's credibility and legitimacy in carrying out its responsibilities.

According to Prof. Venus, public trust is a key asset for doctors in providing healthcare services. Without trust, the public may doubt the ability of professionals to act honestly, maintain integrity, and make decisions based on the patient's best interests.

"If a profession isn't trusted, it will certainly be a problem. Even before the work is done, the public will doubt whether we can act professionally, maintain integrity, act honestly, and stand up for the truth. Therefore, maintaining trust is crucial," said Prof. Venus.

He cited the 2024 Ipsos Global Trustworthiness Index , which ranked doctors as the most trusted profession globally. Fifty-eight percent of respondents in 32 countries considered doctors trustworthy, followed by scientists at 56 percent and teachers at 54 percent.

In Indonesia, trust in doctors reached 73 percent. This figure is only one point behind teachers, who topped the list at 74 percent, and above scientists, who received 70 percent trust.

In contrast, Ipsos data shows that politicians and social media influencers are among the professions with the lowest levels of trust globally. In Indonesia, 45 percent of respondents stated they distrusted politicians. Distrust of cabinet or ministerial officials and the police reached 41 percent each, followed by social media influencers at 25 percent, government employees and lawyers at 24 percent each, and judges at 23 percent.

Prof. Venus said the data shows that trust in doctors doesn't come without consequences. The greater the public's trust, the greater the doctor's responsibility to maintain competence, ethics, patient confidentiality, and the quality of healthcare services.

"With such a high level of public trust, the doctors inaugurated and sworn in today must work and serve in accordance with professional ethics and applicable norms. All of this must be done with good intentions to bring about the common good in the health sector," he said.

He acknowledged that practicing medicine professionally is not always easy. Doctors face a variety of clinical challenges, work pressures, limited resources, and ethical dilemmas that require precise decision-making. Therefore, medical education equips prospective doctors not only with clinical knowledge and skills, but also with humanitarian values and moral commitment.

This commitment, Prof. Venus continued, is reinforced through the doctor's oath. The oath is not simply a series of words during an inauguration ceremony, but rather a moral promise that should guide one throughout their professional journey.

"The doctor's oath taken today is more than just words. It's a commitment to prioritize patient health, maintain confidentiality, continue lifelong learning, reject discrimination, and uphold the dignity of the profession," he said.

Prof. Venus also emphasized the principle of primum non nocere , or "first, do no harm." This principle, rooted in the tradition of medical ethics, emphasizes that every medical procedure must prioritize patient safety and avoid unnecessary adverse effects.

According to him, academic knowledge and clinical skills must go hand in hand with empathy, caution, humanity, and moral responsibility. Doctors are required not only to be able to diagnose and provide therapy, but also to understand the patient's condition as a human being with rights, dignity, and diverse backgrounds.

On that occasion, Prof. Venus congratulated all the new doctors and their families who had accompanied them on their educational journey. She considered their success the fruit of long struggle, discipline, perseverance, and the support of their parents and family.

UPNVJ also presented awards to graduates with the best academic achievements. The highest Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) score was achieved by Dr. Fatimah Azzahra with a score of 91.99. The highest Computer Based Test (CBT) score was achieved by Dr. Fadilla Salbi with a score of 96, while the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) was achieved by Dr. Muhammad Pandji Raihan with a GPA of 3.97.

Closing her remarks, Prof. Venus expressed her hope that UPNVJ's medical graduates would uphold the values of National Defense in all their service. These values are realized through professional, integrity-based, non-discriminatory healthcare services that are oriented toward the public interest.

The 85th inauguration and oath of office for the graduates of the UPNVJ Faculty of Medicine marked the beginning of a journey of service. Through their oath, the new doctors are expected to maintain public trust while providing safe, ethical, humane, and dignified healthcare services.