Understanding Health Care As a Vocation
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 | Dr. Andrew Mullally | Today health care is described as many things, including a profession, business, industry or even a right. However, long before health care was any of these things, it started as a calling to serve by caring for those who are ill.
The word “vocation” comes from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call.” While all of us are called to holiness and a specific state in life — such as married or religious — some, too, have a vocation to a specific type of service for their daily work. A vocation to care for the sick was the genesis of health care and should serve as the cornerstone in a discussion regarding any aspirations for health care in general and for health care workers in particular.