Interview Preparation

Medical Ethics

Ethical questions are a staple of medical school interviews. Don't panic — you don't need a "perfect" answer. What interviewers want to see is clear thinking, balance, and the ability to reflect on multiple perspectives.

The Key to Success

The trick is to stay calm, structured, and balanced. Don't rush into your personal opinion; save that for the end. Interviewers generally like to hear where you stand, as long as it's consistent with the reasoning you've just explained.

Think of it like a driving test: Just like you signal, check mirrors, and show the examiner you know what you're doing, you should make your thought process explicit in the interview.

The Four Pillars of Medical Ethics

Autonomy

Respecting the patient's choices, linked to capacity, consent, and Gillick competence. Patients have the right to make decisions about their own care.

Beneficence

Acting in the patient's best interests. This means pursuing actions that promote their wellbeing and health outcomes.

Non-Maleficence

Avoiding harm. First, do no harm. This principle requires balancing potential benefits against potential risks.

Justice

Fairness and equality, especially for resource allocation. Who deserves a scarce resource? How do we treat patients fairly?

Topics You Should Be Familiar With

Consent & Capacity

  • Valid consent requires: understanding, retention, weighing up, and communicating a decision
  • Gillick competence: whether a minor (under 16) can consent independently
  • Age of consent for sexual health and contraception (e.g., why doctors give contraception to 14-year-olds)

Assisted Dying vs Euthanasia

  • Assisted dying is legal in very few jurisdictions; euthanasia is illegal in the UK
  • Doctrine of Double Effect: when an action may hasten death unintentionally but foreseeably
  • Know the current legal and ethical landscape

Confidentiality

  • Doctors must maintain confidentiality with exceptions: serious harm risk, legal requirements
  • Balance between patient autonomy and protection
  • Know when disclosure is justified (e.g., public safety, abuse)

Organ Transplantation & Allocation

  • Ethical dilemmas about scarce resources (e.g., who gets a liver?)
  • Principles of justice, fairness, urgency, and utility
  • Balance need with likelihood of benefit

How to Structure Your Answer

1

State Your Approach

"To answer this question, I'm going to run through the four pillars of medical ethics."

2

Work Through the Pillars

"For each pillar, discuss both sides: the pros and cons of an action, conflicting principles, and stakeholder perspectives."

3

Provide Balanced Arguments

"Show you can appreciate different viewpoints. This demonstrates maturity, empathy, and reflective thinking."

4

Conclude with Justified Opinion

"State your position, ensuring it aligns with the arguments you've discussed. Reflect on nuances rather than oversimplifying."

Tips for Success

Think aloud: Interviewers want to see your reasoning

Be balanced: Show you can appreciate different viewpoints

Know the law: Understand GMC guidance, age of consent, assisted dying legislation

Use real-life examples: Link to clinical experiences or news stories

Practice consent & capacity: These come up frequently

Example Phrases to Use

"To answer this, I'm going to consider the situation through the four pillars of medical ethics…"

"Under autonomy, the patient has the right to make decisions, but we also need to consider whether they have capacity…"

"From a justice perspective, we must think about fairness and allocation of limited resources…"

"Considering the doctrine of double effect, it's possible that the intervention could cause unintended harm…"

"Balancing all these factors, my view is… because it aligns with both patient welfare and ethical principles."

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