AMC MCQ Ethics and Professional Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 16-year-old requests contraception and refuses to involve her parents. Under Australian law, what principle determines whether you can prescribe?
- Parental consent is always mandatory under 18
- Gillick competence / mature minor assessment of her understanding (Correct answer)
- You must refuse until she turns 18
- Court approval is required for all minors
Correct answer: Gillick competence / mature minor assessment of her understanding
A mature minor who demonstrates sufficient understanding (Gillick competence) may consent to treatment without parental involvement.
Question 2: A patient with decision-making capacity refuses a life-saving blood transfusion on religious grounds. What is the ethically and legally correct action?
- Transfuse anyway to save life
- Respect the competent patient's refusal (Correct answer)
- Seek a court order to override
- Wait until they lose consciousness then transfuse
Correct answer: Respect the competent patient's refusal
A competent adult has the right to refuse treatment even if refusal results in death.
Question 3: Under mandatory reporting obligations in Australia, a doctor must report another practitioner when there is reasonable belief of which 'notifiable conduct'?
- A minor prescribing disagreement
- Practising while intoxicated, sexual misconduct, impairment, or significant departure from standards (Correct answer)
- Any clinical error
- Disagreement over treatment plans
Correct answer: Practising while intoxicated, sexual misconduct, impairment, or significant departure from standards
Notifiable conduct includes intoxication at work, sexual misconduct, impairment risking patients, and significant departures from accepted standards.
Question 4: A pharmaceutical company offers you a paid overseas conference trip if you prescribe their drug. This is best described as what ethical issue?
- Acceptable professional development
- A conflict of interest requiring disclosure and avoidance (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality breach
- Mandatory reporting trigger
Correct answer: A conflict of interest requiring disclosure and avoidance
Inducements tied to prescribing create a conflict of interest that can compromise patient-centred decisions.
Question 5: A patient asks you not to document their HIV status in shared records. What is the most appropriate response?
- Omit it entirely as requested
- Explain the clinical and safety importance of accurate records while discussing privacy protections (Correct answer)
- Document it in a separate secret file
- Refuse to treat unless they agree
Correct answer: Explain the clinical and safety importance of accurate records while discussing privacy protections
Accurate records are essential for safe care, but you should explain confidentiality safeguards rather than falsify records.
Question 6: When obtaining valid informed consent for surgery, which element is NOT required?
- Disclosure of material risks
- The patient having capacity
- Voluntariness free from coercion
- A guarantee of a successful outcome (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A guarantee of a successful outcome
Consent requires capacity, adequate information, and voluntariness, but no doctor can guarantee outcomes.
Question 7: An unconscious adult in an emergency needs urgent surgery and no substitute decision-maker is available. What legal doctrine permits treatment?
- Implied consent through necessity / emergency doctrine (Correct answer)
- Mandatory reporting
- Power of attorney
- Coronial authority
Correct answer: Implied consent through necessity / emergency doctrine
The emergency/necessity doctrine permits treatment to preserve life when consent cannot be obtained.
AMC MCQ Ethics and Professional Practice 2
A 16-year-old requests contraception and refuses to involve her parents.
Under Australian law, what principle determines whether you can prescribe?