AAMC Medical Ethics and Professionalism 3

Question 1

Under HIPAA, which of the following is an example of a permitted disclosure of protected health information without patient authorization?

Accepted Answer

Disclosing information to public health authorities for disease surveillance

Answer

Sharing records with a patient's employer upon request

Answer

Providing records to a patient's attorney without a subpoena

Answer

Releasing information to family members without the patient's knowledge

Question 2

When a physician has a financial interest in a laboratory to which they refer patients, this represents:

Accepted Answer

A conflict of interest

Answer

A violation of the principle of nonmaleficence

Answer

Medical negligence

Answer

A breach of therapeutic privilege

Question 3

The ethical concept of veracity in medicine primarily refers to:

Accepted Answer

The obligation to tell patients the truth about their diagnosis and prognosis

Answer

A physician's duty to accurately document procedures

Answer

Maintaining accurate billing records for insurance purposes

Answer

Providing evidence-based treatment options only

Question 4

Hospital ethics committees are primarily convened to:

Accepted Answer

Provide consultation and guidance on ethically complex clinical cases

Answer

Discipline physicians who violate hospital policy

Answer

Adjudicate malpractice claims on behalf of the institution

Answer

Approve experimental protocols before IRB review

Question 5

A patient with a terminal illness refuses chemotherapy and wants only palliative care. The physician disagrees with this decision. What is the most ethically appropriate course of action?

Accepted Answer

Respect the patient's decision if they are competent and fully informed

Answer

Initiate chemotherapy because the physician's clinical judgment overrides patient preference

Answer

Refer the patient to a psychiatrist to determine if the refusal is due to depression

Answer

Seek a court order to compel treatment

Question 6

Which of the following best describes professional behavior expected of medical students and physicians according to AAMC professionalism standards?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining appropriate boundaries, honesty, and accountability in all patient interactions

Answer

Prioritizing research productivity above clinical duties

Answer

Avoiding disclosure of medical errors to protect institutional reputation

Answer

Deferring all ethical decisions to supervising attendings regardless of personal concerns

Question 7

A competent adult Jehovah's Witness patient refuses a blood transfusion during a life-threatening emergency. The physician should:

Accepted Answer

Respect the patient's refusal, even if it may result in death

Answer

Administer the transfusion to save the patient's life, as beneficence overrides autonomy in emergencies

Answer

Seek emergency guardianship to override the refusal

Answer

Administer the transfusion and inform the patient afterward