Reviewed by:
Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine
Reviewed: 4/3/24
Wondering how to answer medical ethics questions? Read on to learn how to tactfully answer these questions in your medical school interview!
Ethics questions are often considered the most challenging that you may be asked in your medical school interviews. Luckily, there are methods to prepare for ethics questions.
If you're heading into interview season feeling a little shaky in the ethics department, we've got you covered. Here, we'll go over everything you need to know about questions involving medical ethics to get you into med school. Let's get started!
Here, we'll review some examples of medical ethics questions and how to answer them. Stay updated on current hot topics in the medical world, as you'll likely be asked about them in your medical school interview.
Here are some medical school interview ethical questions you may face.
“An 86-year-old patient has been battling cancer with chemotherapy treatments for over a year. There has been little progress, and the patient is visibly suffering every day. One day the patient asks for doctor-assisted suicide. What do you do?”
Euthanasia is a major ethical dilemma; every pillar of ethics battles another in this debate. Beneficence tells us to do good and ease their suffering. Non-maleficence tells us not to harm the patient, which directly conflicts with beneficence and autonomy since you wouldn't be respecting the patient's free will by refusing.
The easiest way to start tackling this issue is with legality. Euthanasia is legal in a handful of countries and some states. Depending on where you are, you may be able to carry out this procedure without miscarrying justice.
After determining legality, assessing the patient's mental capacity is necessary to determine their ability to make a sound decision. Remember to keep your response to the technical process and avoid inserting personal opinions unless specifically asked.
“You’re treating a 13-year-old patient. Although the patient is below the legal age of consent, they reveal to you that they are sexually active. Do you confront their parents although it would mean breaching doctor-patient confidentiality?”
In this ethical healthcare scenario, there are two main factors to consider. On the one hand, the patient is engaging in illegal underage activities that may put their safety at risk. On the other hand, the patient trusts you with this information, and you don’t want to break doctor-patient confidentiality.
Beneficence means that, as a doctor, you must promote the course of action you believe is in the patient's best interest. In this case, that would mean encouraging the underage patient to inform their legal guardians they’re sexually active as long as they feel safe doing so.
The mental well-being of the young patient is at risk since the situation suggests the patient could be taken advantage of. Doctors can offer contraception and sexual health advice without notifying the legal guardians. However, confidentiality can be breached if the patient's safety is at risk.
“A patient with depression is refusing treatment/medication and has expressed severe suicidal ideation in their visit with you. You are concerned about their well-being; what do you do?”
In this healthcare dilemma question, there are two conflicting factors – your concern for the patient’s wellness versus their refusal of treatment. Of the four pillars, the most pressing are beneficence, non-maleficence, and autonomy in this situation.
Looking through the lens of autonomy, the patient’s refusal of treatment should be respected; however, medical ethics scenarios are never that straightforward.
Beneficence means you must do what’s best for the patient; in this scenario, it would be worth ensuring the patient understands all available treatment options. To do good and not harm, you must consider the patient’s risk level of harming themselves must be weighed against potentially breaking confidentiality to protect their well-being.
“You have the choice to give a liver transplant to either a 76-year-old grandmother who is active in the community or a 30-year-old man struggling with addiction. How do you decide who gets the transplant?”
This clinical ethics example is tricky; unfortunately, your decision (should you need to make one) should not rely on the information given in this statement. Using justice as your compass, you must gather information about the condition of both parties; fairness is key here.
To ensure you practice beneficence and non-maleficence, you must understand each patient’s condition. Is the 30-year-old patient suffering from liver failure? Would the 76-year-old be able to live for two or three more years without an immediate transplant?
Since you don’t have all the information here, using if/when conditional statements is a great way to show your thought process and fairness.
“A patient diagnosed with HIV reveals to their GP they have not disclosed this information to their partner…”
This ethical healthcare issue isn’t difficult to answer. The Doctor should inform the patient of the risks of not disclosing certain information and encourage them to share it with their partner. In exceptional cases, based on societal safety, the Doctor might consider disclosing the patient's HIV status to the partner, but this should be a last resort, with the patient being informed.
Patient autonomy is important, but not absolute when another's health or society is at risk. Balancing beneficence (acting in the patient's best interests) and non-maleficence (avoiding harm) is crucial when deciding on disclosure.
“What would you do if you saw a colleague making a mistake with a patient’s medication?”
The initial step is to report the mistake and encourage the colleague to self-report, emphasizing patient safety and professional development rather than personal blame. If uncomfortable or if the colleague refuses, escalate to a senior colleague.
“You are a GP and your patient confides in you that they are regularly using illicit drugs”
Here is a medical school interview question that you must answer with care. In this situation, prioritize patient confidentiality unless there's an immediate danger. Share information only with consent, for a compelling public interest, or due to a court order.
Focus on advising rather than legal action. Inform the patient of drug-related health risks, explore their willingness to quit, and refer to services if needed.
Assess the patient's health and offer appropriate guidance, like needle exchange programs. If a child's safety is at risk, notify social services immediately.
If you need help with MMI ethical questions, here’s a medical school interview questions generator to help you prepare!
"A 14-year-old patient requests birth control pills from you but asks that you not tell her parents. What would you do?"
This question deals with the complex issue of patient confidentiality and the rights of minors. On one hand, the 14-year-old patient has the right to confidential medical care related to sexual health. Disclosing this information to her parents without consent could damage the patient-doctor relationship and discourage her from seeking important medical care.
However, there are also concerns about the patient's ability to fully understand the implications of her request at her age. As the doctor, you must make sure she understands the responsibilities of being on birth control and using it properly.
There are also ethical questions about whether parents should be involved in major medical decisions for their minor children.
The best approach would be to have an open discussion with the patient about her reasons for requesting birth control and her understanding of how to use it correctly.
Explain your obligation to keep her information confidential unless she is at risk of serious harm. Encourage her to involve her parents if possible, as they can provide guidance and support.
Make it clear you will respect her privacy if she insists. Ultimately, you should prioritize providing the patient with the sexual health resources she needs while ensuring her safety.
"A patient confides in you that they have been abusing their prescription painkillers. How would you handle this situation?"
When a patient discloses substance abuse issues, it's important to approach the situation with compassion rather than judgment. Substance use disorder is a chronic brain disease that requires comprehensive treatment, not moral condemnation.
Your first step should be to have an honest discussion with the patient about the extent of their painkiller abuse and any underlying reasons, such as chronic pain, mental health issues, or personal struggles. Emphasize that you want to help get them the care they need.
Depending on the severity, you may recommend an inpatient rehabilitation program or outpatient counseling and support groups. Explore non-opioid pain management alternatives if chronic pain is an issue. If the patient is resistant to treatment, use motivational interviewing techniques to help them become ready for change.
You'll also need to carefully manage any prescriptions going forward and potentially make arrangements for a trusted friend or family member to oversee medication use.
If the patient is suicidal or an immediate danger to themselves or others, you may need to breach confidentiality and get emergency services involved.
The key is to create a judgment-free space for the patient to get the help they need to overcome their substance abuse struggles.
"You discover that a colleague has posted patient information, including photos, on their personal social media account. What actions would you take?"
This situation represents a serious breach of patient privacy and confidentiality by your colleague. As a medical professional, you have an ethical and legal duty to protect patient information at all times, even if it is unintentionally shared.
The first step would be to report the violation to the appropriate authorities at your hospital, clinic, or practice. Most healthcare facilities have clear policies around social media use and consequences for violations that could include disciplinary action or termination.
You should also document exactly what patient information was shared and when it occurred, preserving any evidence like screenshots. This documentation will be important if further investigation or legal action is required.
Assuming it was an honest mistake, you could first have a private conversation with your colleague, explain the seriousness of the violation, and allow them to remove the posts themselves. However, you still need to report it through official channels.
If the posts exposed personal health information that could be damaging to patients, you may need to notify those patients that their privacy was breached as well.
While an awkward situation with your colleague, protecting patient confidentiality has to be the top priority. Firm but fair disciplinary action may be required to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"A clinical trial you are involved with is showing negative side effects in participants. The study sponsor wants to continue the trial. How would you respond?"
This ethical dilemma pits the integrity of medical research against the financial interests of the study sponsor. As a physician involved in the clinical trial, your primary obligation is to the safety and well-being of the research participants.
If the trial data shows the negative side effects outweigh any potential benefits of the drug or treatment being tested, then continuing to expose more participants to these risks would be unethical. You must protect patients from unnecessary harm based on the principles of non-maleficence and beneficence.
However, you also must consider if the side effects are within acceptable risk parameters that the participants consented to when they agreed to the trial. Minor side effects are common, so an overreaction could derail important medical research.
The best approach would be to thoroughly review all the data with other investigators and medical experts to determine if the side effect risks have become unacceptable. Present this evidence to the study sponsor and push for a pause or halt to the trial if the risks are too high.
You may need to escalate the concerns to an institutional review board that can provide objective oversight. Under no circumstances should you continue exposing patients to undue harm just to appease corporate interests and keep funding.
"A patient's family is adamantly requesting a treatment that you believe is medically futile and will only prolong suffering. How would you handle this?"
End-of-life situations are emotionally charged and complex from an ethical standpoint. The principle of autonomy says you should respect the wishes of the patient or their family regarding treatment preferences. However, your ethical duty as a physician is to avoid unnecessary suffering and futile care.
The first step is to have an open, empathetic discussion with the family about the patient's poor prognosis and low chance of benefiting from further treatment. Clearly explain your reasoning for recommending comfort care over invasive treatments that will only extend the dying process.
Explore if the family fully understands the reality of the situation or if they are not in the right headspace. Provide trusted sources they can review about end-stage disease processes. See if they would be open to a second opinion from another physician or ethics consult.
If the family still insists on life-prolonging treatment, you may have to invoke your rights as a doctor to deny futile care that goes against ethical medical practices. However, this should be an absolute last resort after all efforts to reach an agreement.
You can explore transferring care to another provider willing to carry out the family's wishes. Or bring in a bioethics committee to mediate the conflict.
The key is maintaining open communication, validating the family's emotions, and finding a resolution that minimizes suffering for the patient.
"You notice that one of your patients, who is a minor, has suspicious bruises and shows signs of possible physical abuse at home. What would you do?"
As mandatory reporters, physicians have an ethical and legal duty to report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities. Protecting vulnerable children from harm should be the top priority.
If you notice signs of physical abuse like bruises, fractures, burns or the child appears underfed or unkempt, you should first gently ask the child how they got injured in a non-leading way. Watch for any hesitation or signs they are scared to tell the truth.
Thoroughly document your observations, including direct quotes from the child if possible. Take photographs of any visible injuries as well.
Then you need to report your reasonable suspicion to child protective services or local law enforcement right away, providing all the documentation you have. They will investigate and determine if the child needs to be removed from an abusive situation.
You may also need to admit the child to the hospital for a full examination and to ensure their safety if the abuse appears severe. Offer counseling resources as well.
While it can be difficult to potentially break up a family, a child's well-being has to come first.
Failing to report realistic signs of abuse would be unethical and illegal. Remain objective and let the proper authorities investigate.
"A patient asks you to pray with them before their high-risk surgery. Praying with patients is against your beliefs. How would you respond to the patient's request?"
This situation exemplifies the importance of respecting patients' cultural beliefs and spirituality, while also maintaining ethical boundaries as a physician. It requires nuanced handling.
Start by validating the patient's request and acknowledging that prayer can provide comfort during difficult times for those who are religious or spiritual. However, explain that as their doctor, you have to remain objective and cannot promote any specific religious beliefs over others.
Offer to have a non-denominational chaplain or spiritual counselor come pray with the patient if they would find that helpful before the surgery. Most hospitals have these resources available.
If the patient still wants you specifically to pray with them, you can politely decline by saying something like, "While I cannot pray with you myself due to my personal beliefs, I respect your faith and want you to have whatever spiritual support you need during this time."
The key is to address the patient's spiritual needs through appropriate channels while maintaining ethical boundaries around not promoting or participating in religious rituals yourself as a physician.
With empathy and clear communication, you can make sure the patient feels supported without compromising your professional obligations.
"An unconscious patient is brought into the ER requiring blood transfusion, but they have a card in their wallet stating they are a Jehovah's Witness and refuse blood products. What would you do?"
This dilemma pits the principle of patient autonomy against the duty of beneficence - doing what is medically necessary to save the patient's life. It's an emergency situation further complicated by the patient being unconscious and unable to reaffirm their wishes.
As the physician, your first obligation is to stabilize the patient and prevent any imminent loss of life. That likely means giving the life-saving blood transfusion while the patient is incapacitated, as you cannot let them bleed out based on an unconfirmed historical preference.
However, you should make every effort to locate the patient's family, religious leaders, or advance directives to get clear guidance on their wishes regarding blood products. If you can definitively confirm they still refuse even if it's life-threatening, you have to respect those wishes once they are stabilized.
Explain the situation clearly to the family and have an ethics consult if needed. See if there are any acceptable blood alternatives the patient would accept like dialysis. But ultimately, you cannot force a blood transfusion on someone who is conscious and has decisional capacity.
In an emergency though, the ethical decision is to first preserve life by giving the transfusion. Then follow up to honor the patient's autonomy once their life is no longer in immediate danger.
These types of ethical dilemmas in medicine rarely have perfect solutions. The key is walking through each ethical principle, gathering as much information as possible, and making a defensible decision that does the least potential harm. Upholding the core tenets of medical ethics should guide your approach.
Medical schools ask ethics questions during interviews to get a sense of your understanding of ethical reasoning. When asked about complex ethical dilemmas, your interviewer will not expect every candidate to have the same "correct" answer. Just ensure your response can be backed by ethical reasoning.
As you may know, the four pillars of medical ethics are:
This entails carrying out the procedure to benefit the patient. Physicians must act in the patient's best interests, upholding ethical principles to safeguard the rights of others. Healthcare professionals should possess the necessary skills and receive thorough and effective education and training before delivering patient benefits.
This refers to a physician's duty not to cause harm to the patient. Some of the rules associated with this principle are:
These must be practiced by any physician when treating patients.
Autonomy refers to the patient's right to make informed choices about their health, free from coercion. To do so, they need to understand the risks and benefits of a procedure. Healthcare professionals must provide comprehensive information and respect patients' decisions, even if they decline treatment for personal reasons.
Justice in healthcare means providing fair and unbiased treatment to all patients, considering factors like resource allocation, competing needs, rights, and legal conflicts. Equal access to treatments should be ensured, regardless of socio-economic, ethnic, or other differences, but disparities can raise ethical issues.
Ethics questions are about more than your moral compass. When contemplating the question, lean on the four medical ethics pillars to demonstrate professionalism and your ethics knowledge.
It’s important to note that your interviewer may not be looking for an opinion right away. Ethical dilemmas often have multiple valid courses of action. Unless they specifically ask, your interviewer is likely more interested in your understanding of ethics than your personal opinion.
Although you may not know what ethics questions you'll be asked during your MMI, there are ways to prepare for them before your big day. If you need help preparing for your MMI, watch this video below!
Here are some ways to prepare for ethics questions in your medical school interview.
Formulate your answers around your thought process. No one expects you to solve a major medical issue in such a short time. Your interviewer wants to know how you'll approach an ethical dilemma.
With that in mind, your answers should be thorough, professional, and thoughtful. Ethical dilemmas take time to process, so it's fine to take more time with this one than with previous questions. Lean on your knowledge of ethical medicine and explain your thought process while maintaining a level head.
Before your interview, thoroughly review what you already know about medical ethics. Referencing consequentialism, utilitarianism, and deontology in your response shows you've done your research.
The best way to prepare for medical school interview ethics questions is to practice. You can do this with a peer, a professional, a family member. It’s a good idea to record your answers to be analyzed for further learning and improvement.
While preparing, it’s critical to practice answering ethics questions verbally. Answering practice questions out loud will help ease your anxiety on the day of your interview and help you avoid becoming flustered or stressed out.
It’s imperative to prepare for questions about medical ethics, so they don’t catch you off guard. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when you’re responding in your med school interview.
Some ethics questions are about controversial topics, and when answering, you may be tempted to insert your opinion immediately. Remember, the interviewer is more interested in your thought process than your opinion.
For example, if you’re presented with a question about whether or not you should perform an abortion in a given situation, understand the facts. Apply ethical reasoning, consider the mental/physical health impacts, and maintain a neutral standpoint. Avoid stating your political opinions or personal preferences.
Before responding, repeat the prompt back to your interviewer. This shows you understand the situation before formulating your response. Ethics questions can be complex and lengthy, so don't be afraid to ask for the prompt to be repeated.
Assess your medical ethics knowledge with Advantage's How Much Do You Know About Medical Ethics? Quiz.
Want to know more about med school ethics questions and how to navigate them? Then check out these FAQs!
If you don't know exactly what you'd do when faced with a challenging ethical dilemma during a medical school interview, don't panic. Focus on your thought process and rely on your ethics knowledge to formulate a thoughtful response.
Yes, your answer to a medical ethics question can be incorrect or rub your interviewer the wrong way. To avoid this, stick to the four pillars of ethics (beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice) when explaining how you'd handle the ethical dilemma.
A medical ethics violation is an action taken by a doctor that violates the patient's right to proper care. Examples include:
According to Oxford, medical law and ethics consider the rights of patients and the responsibilities of doctors concerning complex moral debate. In other words, doing what's ethical doesn't always comply with the law.
The best way to study for the MMI ethical questions is to review practice questions with a colleague or a professional interview coach.
While one poor answer won't overshadow your entire medical school interview, it's important to avoid personal opinions and stick to the four pillars of ethics when answering questions. Medical schools consider many factors before making final decisions, but demonstrating strong ethical reasoning skills is crucial.
When approaching medical school ethics questions, always begin by determining how the situation fits into the four pillars of medical ethics:
Consider how these principles apply before launching into your explanation. Remember not to lead with your personal opinion.
Medical ethics questions deserve thoughtful answers that assess the problem using the four pillars of ethics. As a physician, your future will be full of ethical dilemmas, just like the ones you'll be asked about in your interview. Don't worry; you're not expected to know all the answers just yet.
Use practice questions and review your answers to help ease anxiety. Your job here is to demonstrate your ability to follow protocol and remain professional. Good luck with your interviews!
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