Ethics and professionalism: Specialty Training Interview Questions

Ethical scenarios at this level test a safe, structured approach: the drug error nobody noticed, the colleague who seems unwell, the consultant who asks for something unsafe, the patient who refuses treatment.

Updated 26 October 2026

How to answer

Patient safety first, then gather information, then escalate through the right route, then support the people involved. Name the obligations that apply, including the duty of candour. Say what you would do, not what should be done.

Frameworks: ETHICS for dilemmas; SPIES for colleague concerns

  • ETHICS Establish the facts and capacity, Think through the four pillars and name the tension, Hear the other side fairly, Identify two or three options, Choose a patient centred action with the next step, Safeguard and document. Full guide →
  1. Asked in most interviewsUsually asked by the clinical director or clinical leadETHICS

    You discover a drug error on the ward that no one else has noticed. What do you do?

    Patient safety first: assess the patient and treat any harm. Then tell your senior, complete the incident report, and make sure the patient is told under the duty of candour. Then support the colleague who made it. Say what you would do if a senior told you not to report it.

  2. Asked in most interviewsUsually asked by the consultant colleague in the specialtyETHICS

    A patient with capacity refuses a treatment you believe they need. How do you approach it?

    Confirm capacity, make sure the refusal is informed, explore the reasons, offer alternatives, involve a senior, document carefully and respect the decision while leaving the door open. Say what changes if capacity is in doubt.

  3. Often askedUsually asked by the clinical director or clinical leadETHICS

    A colleague appears unwell or intoxicated at work. What do you do?

    Patient safety first: they must not see patients, and you say so kindly and remove them from the clinical area. Then tell a senior. Support the colleague and keep it confidential. Say what you would do if they refused to stop.

  4. Often askedUsually asked by the consultant colleague in the specialtyETHICS

    What does the duty of candour mean in practice for a junior doctor?

    Being open with a patient when something has gone wrong: telling them, apologising, explaining what happened and what will be done. For a junior doctor it means reporting the incident, telling your senior, and being present for the conversation. Give an example if you have one.

  5. Often askedUsually asked by the clinical director or clinical leadETHICS

    A consultant asks you to do something you believe is unsafe. What do you do?

    Clarify what is being asked and why, say what your concern is, and ask for the reasoning. If still unsafe, decline politely, document, and escalate to another senior. Patient safety comes before hierarchy. Say how you would keep the relationship afterwards.

  6. Often askedUsually asked by the consultant colleague in the specialtyETHICS

    How do you maintain patient confidentiality when a relative asks you for information?

    Check what the patient has agreed can be shared, explain to the relative that you need the patient's permission, and offer to ask the patient. Say what changes if the patient lacks capacity or if the information is needed to keep them safe.

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