Practice Scenario (Ethics Knowledge)

Question 1

The interviewer asks a question: What ethical principle of medicine would you consider to be most important?

Answer 1

Link whatever principle you choose to your work experience by giving an example of how you saw the principle being demonstrated

Question 2

Four people need a liver and they all have an equal chance of success. One has only two weeks left to live without, one is the sole carer for their father, one is a pregnant lady who would otherwise only have a couple of months with her newborn, and one has taken a large Paracetamol overdose. Assuming there was nothing to medically differentiate the patients, and considering only the ethical aspects, who would you give the liver to?

Answer 2

Tips:

1) Be clear as to why you determined your framework in the way that you did. This is probably the most important part of your answer, so spend some time exploring your justification. One tip is to consider that you are trying to maximise benefit in the decision that you choose to make, so you may want to explain how your choices meet this aim.

2) Make sure you make a balanced argument. Consider the arguments both for and against individuals, and remain non-judgemental throughout.