During my interview a few days ago, we were just talking about why I wanted to be a doctor. I was speaking honostly and comfortably. One of the things I said towards the end was how I like the idea that I could treat family and friends as a doctor. Then the interviewer said that that's a bit unethical. I was like... "Really?" Maybe he misunderstood me but how is it unethical if family members come to you with a problem?
Then I said: "Well I mean if they have a problem they can ask me questions."
Any idea why he said that? Or maybe how he understood me?
Well, I'd argue that it isn't really unethical (in the "black or white" ethical/unethical sense) to treat family members, per se, but it is potentially problematic, and if there are other options, it would be wise to consider them. We don't live in a black and white world, so it is a matter of decision between a spectra of choices, if the situation isn't so clear cut and other choices are available and accessible. What we are then looking for is the most ethical option.
If we use the Beauchamp-Childress bioethics model (Principles of Biomedical Ethics) of "automony, justice, beneficance, and non-maleficence," as ethical reasoning criteria between options, where the idea of treating close family members comes into question is with the principles of patient autonomy and justice. Indeed in the hope of providing beneficant treatment of their family members, physicians could pit that principle against the need, or ability, of the patient to be autonomous (informed consent, voluntariness, etc.) and also place into question his or her own ability to act in a manner that is fair and objective. The need to be beneficant to family members can thus be overriding, compromising on the ability of the physician to render care to him or her. Therefore, a better and arguably more ethical choice, if these dynamics come into play, would be to refer the close family member to another qualified physician to manage his or her care, who can potentially better fulfill the criteria and care for them.
Just my 2 cents.