Ethics Opinions

Medical students who volunteer to act as “patients” are not seeking to benefit medically from the procedures being performed on them; their goal is to benefit from educational instruction, yet their right to make decisions about their own bodies remains. In the context of practicing clinical skills on fellow students, instructors should ensure that medical students’ privacy, autonomy, and sense of propriety are protected.

The obligation to report incompetent or unethical conduct that may put patients at risk is recognized in both the ethical standards of the profession and in law, and physicians should be able to report such conduct without fear or loss of favor. Reporting a colleague who is incompetent or who engages in unethical behavior is intended not only to protect patients, but also to help ensure that colleagues receive appropriate assistance. Physicians must not submit false or malicious reports.