How do I prepare for medical ethics and law questions at my interview?

Medical ethics and law questions can be daunting at first. There are very rarely right or wrong answers so interviewers aren't usually too bothered about your final decision, but rather how you arrived at your conclusion. It's important to to think out loud when answering ethics questions. Consider arguments on both sides and explore them in as much depth as time allows. Approach the issue from different angles; what would be best for the patient? The patient's family? The NHS? Etc.There are some basic ethical frameworks that should give you the tools to tackle any ethics and law questions. Over time, different philosophers have suggested structures that they believe will lead you to the "right" answer - but remember that ethics is subjective, so it's helpful to look at the problem through the eyes of different philosophers.The main applicable frameworks are:Deontology - "duty ethics" - deontology focuses on the action itself as opposed to its consequences. For example, deontologists may argue that euthanasia is immoral, even if it means putting someone out of their misery, because euthanasia is killing someone - and the action of killing is always wrong. Immanuel Kant is probably the most famous deontological philosopher. He believed that you should "never treat people as a means to an end". It might prove useful to remember Kant's name and main theory for your interview - it's likely you will study him in more depth at medical school.(I would continue to explain the utilitarianism, four principles and virtuous agent theories, and how they should be applied to ethics questions)

TB
Answered by Thomas B. Medical School Preparation tutor

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