Ethics, Safety & Professional Conduct

What is the primary principle of biomedical ethics that requires honest communication and truth-telling to patients?

A physician discloses a medication error to the patient and apologizes. Which professional duty does this exemplify?

Which principle requires a physician to respect a competent patient’s decision to refuse treatment?

What ethical principle is violated if a physician prescribes unnecessary tests to increase revenue?

When is it ethically permissible to breach patient confidentiality?

A surgeon conse nts a patient for procedure A but inadvertently performs procedure B. What is the breach?

What is the appropriate action when a physician receives a gift of significant monetary value from a patient?

Which guideline addresses the ethical use of patient data for research without explicit consent?

A physician’s financial stake in a diagnostic lab they refer patients to creates what?

What is the recommended response when a medical student makes a clinical error?

Which duty obligates a physician to provide care during an epidemic even at personal risk?

What safeguards should be in place to prevent resident fatigue from compromising patient safety?

Which policy ensures equitable allocation of scarce organs for transplantation?

A patient requests physician-assisted death in a jurisdiction where it is illegal. What is the physician’s obligation?

What is the minimum age at which a minor can consent to treatment for sexually transmitted infections without parental involvement (in many jurisdictions)?

Which document outlines a patient’s wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment when they cannot communicate?

What behavior by a physician could constitute sexual misconduct?

When should a physician report suspected child abuse?

What is the key purpose of a hospital ethics committee?

Which action supports cultural competence in patient care?

What is the professional obligation when a physician’s personal beliefs conflict with providing legal medical services (e.g., abortion)?

Which principle governs fair treatment of all patients regardless of background?

A physician discovers a colleague is impaired by substance abuse. What is the ethical duty?

What is required to obtain informed consent?

How should a physician handle a request for off-label drug use?

Which practice violates patient privacy under HIPAA?

What ethical issue arises when a physician posts patient images on social media without consent?

A researcher recruits patients from their own clinic without disclosing dual role. What ethical principle is compromised?

Which policy governs reporting of workplace harassment in healthcare settings?

What is the ethical concern with using AI diagnostic tools without validation?

A physician refuses to treat a patient based on race. What ethical violation occurs?

When is physical restraint of a patient ethically permissible?

Which action best addresses implicit bias in clinical decision-making?

A physician is asked to participate in capital punishment. What is the AMA stance?

What is the ethical response to a patient seeking access to expensive experimental treatment abroad?

Which professional standard applies when a trainee’s skills are insufficient for a procedure?

What is the duty of a physician when encountering human trafficking indicators in a patient?

When is it appropriate to involve a hospital ethics consultation?

What policy governs healthcare workers’ duty to care during infectious outbreaks?

Which practice fosters interprofessional respect and collaboration?

A physician considers prescribing hydroxychloroquine for a patient with lupus. What is the recommended baseline ophthalmic evaluation?

What is the ethical action when a patient’s family requests nondisclosure of a terminal prognosis?

Which principle is at stake when allocating ICU beds during resource scarcity?

A medical team debates whether to continue life support for a brain-dead patient. Which is the defining criterion for death?

What conflict of interest must be disclosed when a physician conducts industry-sponsored research?

A surgeon is asked to operate outside their scope of practice. What is the correct response?

When is it ethically mandated to report a coworker’s medical error?

What should a physician do upon recognizing personal impairment by fatigue?

Which action aligns with the principle of beneficence in end-of-life care?

A resident is pressured to falsify data in a research study. What is the ethical response?

In telemedicine, which safeguard is essential to protect patient privacy?

What constitutes a breach of professional conduct during a medical conference?

A physician is offered stock options from a device manufacturer in exchange for using their product. This is an example of:

Which action demonstrates respect for patient cultural beliefs?

What is the physician’s duty when encountering child malnutrition due to neglect?

Which scenario violates physician–patient boundary?

A pharmaceutical rep offers free samples to a physician in exchange for preferential formulary placement. What is the ethical concern?

What action is required if a patient lacks capacity and has no surrogate decision-maker?

Which practice supports transparency in billing?

A patient requests access to their medical records. What is the correct response?

What is the role of continuing medical education (CME) in professional conduct?

In the event of suspected elder abuse, what must a physician do?

A physician’s note includes derogatory remarks about a patient. What is the professional breach?

Which scenario requires peer review rather than public reporting?

A patient with cultural beliefs refuses blood transfusion. What is the ethical approach?

What is the physician’s responsibility when a patient asks for a non-beneficial treatment?

Which action best addresses a colleague’s implicit bias affecting patient care?

A research subject withdraws consent mid-study. What must the investigator do?

What defines patient abandonment?

Which policy guides disclosure of medical errors to families?

A physician tweets medical advice publicly without context. What risk arises?

In collaborative rounds, what behavior fosters a positive learning environment?

Which ethical principle supports organ donation after circulatory death?

What is the appropriate action when a patient’s presented advance directive conflicts with family wishes?

A physician is subpoenaed for court testimony about a patient. What should they do?

When prescribing opioids, what practice reduces risk of misuse?

Which scenario illustrates secondary gain influencing patient’s symptom report?

What is required for ethical pharmaceutical industry-funded CME?

A resident is asked to perform a procedure beyond their competency by an attending. What is the correct action?

Which approach best ensures informed consent for a patient with limited English proficiency?

A patient asks for experimental gene therapy not yet approved in their country. What is the ethical approach?

In a mass casualty incident, which triage principle applies?

What should a physician do when encountering a colleague’s inappropriate social media post about patients?

A patient is enrolled in a blinded clinical trial and wants to know if they are receiving placebo. What is the response?

What is the ethical response to witnessing a fellow physician showing bias in patient interactions?

Which practice supports stewardship of antibiotics to prevent resistance?

A physician’s family member seeks preferential treatment. What should the physician do?

In conflicts between ethical principles, which process is recommended?

A medical student documents sensitive patient information in a personal journal. What is the violation?

What ethical concern arises with direct-to-consumer genetic testing?

A patient requests euthanasia in a jurisdiction where it is legal. What must the physician do?

Which policy is critical for documenting off-label use discussions?

During a pandemic, what ethical principle guides vaccine distribution?

A researcher wants to include vulnerable populations in trials. What is required?

What action addresses physician burnout while maintaining patient care?

How should a physician handle incidental findings on research imaging?

Which framework assists in resolving moral distress among healthcare teams?

What ethical issue emerges from using apps to monitor patient medication adherence?

In negotiating hospital work contracts, what should physicians prioritize?

A hospital plans to implement AI for patient monitoring. What ethical step is necessary?

Which action is ethical when a patient’s religious beliefs conflict with recommended care?

What policy addresses sexual harassment in medical training environments?

When is it ethical to use placebo in clinical trials?

A patient demands continuation of life support deemed futile by the team. What is the ethical response?

What is the physician’s role in addressing health disparities?

How should a researcher deal with incidental genetic findings in participants?

What constitutes professional misconduct in telemedicine?

Which action promotes sustainability in healthcare practice?

A physician encounters a conflict between duty to family and duty to patient. What should guide them?

In mentoring, what behavior fosters ethical growth?

What is required for publication ethics in case reports?

Which practice demonstrates value-based care?

A physician must allocate limited ICU beds. Which criterion is ethically flawed?

How should physicians engage in advocacy?

What is the ethical use of patient photographs for educational purposes?

In pediatric care, whose consent is ethically required for research?

A physician performing cosmetic procedures must ensure what ethical principle?

What policy addresses interactions with pharmaceutical representatives?

During patient handoffs, what practice enhances safety and ethics?

How should end-of-life care align with ethical principles?