Good sample ethical interview questions I found for those soon to interview!

[rubinov3]

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1. What do you think of affirmative action?
2. What are your thoughts on euthanasia?
3. A pregnant 15-year-old unmarried teenager comes into your office asking for an abortion. What would you do? Would you inform her parents?
4. You observe a fellow medical student cheating on an examination. What would you do?
5. How would you tell a patient just diagnosed with cancer that he has only a few weeks to live?
6. A 14-year-old gay and promiscuous male comes to you to be treated for a STD. During the conversation he mentions that he has been tested for HIV several times and would like to be tested again to see if he is still uninfected. How would you handle this situation?
7. What is the difference between an HMO and a PPO? Which system do you prefer and why?
8. How would you express your concern for a child who needs an amputation?
9. During a routine physical examination of a 10-year-old girl you discover unmistakable evidence that she has been physically and sexually abused over a period of time. Both her parents are in the waiting room. How would you respond to this situation?
10. You have two patients who have been admitted after a serious accident. Both require immediate attention in order to survive. One patient is 20 years old; the other is 60 years old. Which life would you save?

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Some of these of straight "depends upon state law; no ethical decision making required" questions. The last question is easy... Also, I didn't hear a single question like this on the interview trail.

 

[PingPongPro]

I feel like the only real use for these questions is practicing answering questions on the fly. But TMR is right, a lot of these depends on the law.

I think the only question that might serve useful is "What is the difference between an HMO and a PPO? Which system do you prefer and why?". A lot of future doctors don't really know the "business" part of being a doctor. I think it would be very smart to know how health care is changing in the US, and issues on universal health care, insurance, etc. After all, who enters a career without knowing how the field operates.

 

[Dookie2010]

Some of these of straight "depends upon state law; no ethical decision making required" questions. The last question is easy... Also, I didn't hear a single question like this on the interview trail.

If you don't mind, how would you answer the last one? You said it was easy, but I actually find it quite difficult, because I don't think you can make an important decision like that solely based on age. But you're already in med school so a few steps ahead of me, so I'm curious if you might have some insight about the question that I don't?

 

[Faol]

If you don't mind, how would you answer the last one? You said it was easy, but I actually find it quite difficult, because I don't think you can make an important decision like that solely based on age. But you're already in med school so a few steps ahead of me, so I'm curious if you might have some insight about the question that I don't?

It may not be the right answer but i'd save the 20 year old, assuming of course both had equal injuries. For me it comes down to the amount and quality of life. I believe a 20 year old would recover better from a serious injury and have a higher quality of life. I also assume that they would live longer than the 60 year old. So maybe not the right answer but it's what I would do in this situation.

 

[surftheiop]

Do interviewers actually ask ethical questions?

I've interviewed at 3 schools, for a total of 8 separate interviews and the closest to an ethical question I've been asked is my opinion of the health-care reform bill.

Maybe I have just been lucky so far

 

[CC3]

If you don't mind, how would you answer the last one? You said it was easy, but I actually find it quite difficult, because I don't think you can make an important decision like that solely based on age. But you're already in med school so a few steps ahead of me, so I'm curious if you might have some insight about the question that I don't?

When I read this question I thought about what I thought they were trying to get at in a sense that I believe they are asking how you would handle a high tension situation and what your response would be.

I dont think you would want to say that you would choose one life over someone else's because as a physician you are supposed to make an attempt at saving everyone's life and that no one life is more valuable than another.

In this situation I would say I would make an attempt to save both of their lifes and that I would need to be resourceful. It says that they have been admitted so there are other healthcare workers around that can help you. I would say this and that you must effectively communicate with them so that they can follow your directions to help stabilize both patients. I think you must remember that providing healthcare is a team effort and everyone has something that they can contribute. You must be able to work in that environment in order to be successful in situations like this.

 

[DumbMD]

Some of these of straight "depends upon state law; no ethical decision making required" questions. The last question is easy... Also, I didn't hear a single question like this on the interview trail.

Hey, I am a bit ignorant, it seems.

Which of these depend on law, and what laws? Getting a basic framework in mind will really be helpful for me.

Thank you.