ABPS Professionalism & Ethical Medical Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician discovers that a colleague is practicing medicine while impaired by alcohol. What is the most appropriate first step?
- Report directly to the state medical board
- Confront the colleague privately and encourage them to seek help (Correct answer)
- Notify hospital administration immediately
- Ignore the situation unless a patient is harmed
Correct answer: Confront the colleague privately and encourage them to seek help
The first appropriate step is a private confrontation encouraging the colleague to seek treatment, though persistent impairment requires escalation to protect patients.
Question 2: Which ethical principle requires physicians to distribute healthcare resources fairly across patient populations?
- Beneficence
- Nonmaleficence
- Justice (Correct answer)
- Autonomy
Correct answer: Justice
Justice obligates physicians to allocate healthcare resources equitably and without discrimination.
Question 3: A patient refuses a blood transfusion on religious grounds despite a life-threatening hemorrhage. The physician should:
- Administer the transfusion to save the patient's life
- Respect the refusal if the patient is competent and informed (Correct answer)
- Seek an emergency court order to override the refusal
- Discharge the patient immediately
Correct answer: Respect the refusal if the patient is competent and informed
A competent, informed adult has the right to refuse treatment, including life-saving transfusions, based on personal or religious beliefs.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'therapeutic privilege'?
- The right of physicians to prioritize treatment over disclosure
- Withholding information when disclosure would harm the patient (Correct answer)
- The privilege of physicians to prescribe controlled substances
- Disclosing information only to family members
Correct answer: Withholding information when disclosure would harm the patient
Therapeutic privilege allows withholding information if disclosure would cause significant psychological harm, though it is generally discouraged and rarely justified.
Question 5: A pharmaceutical company offers a physician a paid vacation in exchange for prescribing their medication. This situation best represents:
- A legitimate continuing medical education opportunity
- A conflict of interest that should be avoided (Correct answer)
- Standard industry practice
- An acceptable gift under professional guidelines
Correct answer: A conflict of interest that should be avoided
Accepting gifts or benefits from pharmaceutical companies in exchange for prescribing is a conflict of interest that violates professional ethics.
Question 6: During a malpractice deposition, a physician is asked about a colleague's competence. Ethically, the physician should:
- Refuse to answer any questions about colleagues
- Provide honest and accurate testimony (Correct answer)
- Support the colleague regardless of the facts
- Decline to testify citing professional loyalty
Correct answer: Provide honest and accurate testimony
Physicians have an ethical obligation to provide truthful testimony in legal proceedings, even when it may reflect negatively on a colleague.
Question 7: A patient asks their physician to sign a disability form claiming a condition more severe than what exists. The physician should:
- Sign the form to help the patient financially
- Refuse and explain that accurate documentation is required (Correct answer)
- Refer the patient to another physician
- Complete the form but note the discrepancy privately
Correct answer: Refuse and explain that accurate documentation is required
Physicians must document conditions accurately; falsifying disability forms constitutes fraud and violates professional and legal standards.
ABPS Professionalism & Ethical Medical Practice 2
A physician discovers that a colleague is practicing medicine while impaired by alcohol.
What is the most appropriate first step?