Ethics & Professional Standards in Plastic Surgery Flashcards
7 cards from real ABPS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics & Professional Standards in Plastic Surgery flashcards as text
A plastic surgeon is approached by a medical device company offering significant consulting fees in exchange for exclusively using their implants. What is the most ethically appropriate response?
Answer: Decline unless the financial relationship is disclosed to patients and the institution
Financial relationships with industry must be disclosed to patients and the institution to avoid conflicts of interest that could compromise patient care.
A patient requests a rhinoplasty but has body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). According to ABPS ethical standards, the surgeon should:
Answer: Refer the patient for psychiatric evaluation before considering surgery
BDD is a contraindication to elective aesthetic surgery, and patients should be referred for psychiatric evaluation because surgery typically worsens BDD outcomes.
When a plastic surgeon advertises on social media, which practice violates ABPS ethical advertising standards?
Answer: Guaranteeing specific aesthetic outcomes in promotional content
Guaranteeing outcomes in advertising is unethical because surgical results are inherently variable and such claims mislead prospective patients.
A colleague performing aesthetic procedures is not board-certified and is marketing themselves as a 'plastic surgery specialist.' A plastic surgeon's ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Report the misleading credential claims to the appropriate medical board
Physicians have a professional obligation to report misleading credentialing claims to protect patients from unqualified practitioners.
A plastic surgeon discovers an intraoperative complication caused by their own error. The most ethical course of action after managing the complication is to:
Answer: Disclose the error to the patient and explain its management
Full disclosure of medical errors to patients is an ethical obligation regardless of outcome, supporting patient autonomy and trust.
Under the ABPS Code of Ethics, a surgeon who performs procedures clearly outside their scope of training should:
Answer: Refrain from performing those procedures until adequate training is completed
Performing procedures outside one's scope of competence is unethical; surgeons must obtain proper training before offering such services.
A plastic surgeon is asked to provide expert witness testimony in a malpractice case. According to professional ethics, the surgeon must:
Answer: Provide honest, objective testimony based on accepted standards of care
Expert witnesses have an ethical duty to provide truthful, objective testimony reflecting the standard of care, regardless of which party retained them.