You may have noticed a minor addition to the right sidebar: a logo of the Healthcare Blogger Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics was established for the medical blogosphere with two objectives in mind:

1. To give the readers of a medical blogger a clear idea of the standards by which the blog is maintained.
2. To give bloggers (especially anonymous ones) a clear set of guidelines they can show employers, patients, or other concerned parties as to the nature of the blogging.

I believe in maintaining the highest degree of integrity in both personal and professional life. As a blog, On The Wards also strives to achieve identical goals. While no logo or promise can guarantee perfect compliance, I applied for permission to use the logo to at least communicate the basic standards of this blog. On The Wards is solely maintained by myself, but rest assured that any future co-authors will similarly subscribe to the same principles outlined in the Code of Ethics.