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Do you think it's ever ethical to lie to a patient?
Questions
History
Questions
Personal
Tell me about yourself.
Ethics
🇨🇦
A physician works in both the public health system and a private clinic. A patient who is on a three-month public wait list for a specialist consultation pays privately to see the same physician within the week. The physician argues: "I'm not taking anything away from public patients — I'm providing an additional service in my own time." What do you think of this reasoning? Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Personal
Why this profession?
Policy
🇺🇸
A public health researcher argued: "Gun violence kills 45,000 Americans a year. If a pathogen caused that mortality, we would call it an epidemic and fund research immediately. The only reason we treat guns differently is politics, not science." A critic responded: "Gun violence is a criminal justice and constitutional issue. Medicalising it is a rhetorical strategy to bypass democratic debate." What do you think? What is your take on this?
Ethics
🇬🇧
In the UK, access to certain treatments, waiting times, and availability of specialist services vary significantly depending on where a patient lives — a phenomenon known as the 'postcode lottery.' A health commissioner said: "Local systems must make local decisions about local priorities. That is not inequity — it is devolution." What do you think of this argument? Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Roleplay
⚕️
You're in a study group for your pre-med program. Your study partner, Kai, has been performing exceptionally well lately and seems unusually energetic during your late-night sessions. After your last session, Kai left their bag open and you noticed a bottle of prescription stimulants with someone else's name on it. Kai has asked to meet for coffee to plan your next session.
Situational
🦷
You are a dental student on clinical rotation. Your supervising dentist insists on recommending a crown, but you believe a filling would suffice. When you mention this, they say 'This is how we practice here.' What do you do?
Ethics
💊
A pharmacist suspects a prescription for a controlled substance may be forged based on small inconsistencies in the paper, handwriting, and dose. The patient is waiting and appears nervous. The pharmacist cannot immediately reach the prescribing physician to verify. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. How would you think about this?
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a teammate, supervisor, or friend.
Reflective
Who is your role model?
Policy
Should childhood vaccinations be mandatory for school attendance, or should parents have the right to refuse?
Ethics
An elderly woman with advanced dementia wrote a legally valid advance directive years ago stating she did not want life-prolonging treatment if she no longer recognized her family. She is now at that stage — but appears content and shows no signs of distress. Three values are in tension here: the woman's prior autonomous wish, her apparent current wellbeing, and the integrity of the advance directive system. How would you weigh these against each other? What do you think?
Policy
A CEO who participated in a four-day work week trial said: "We got more out of our team in four days than we ever did in five. Tiredness is the enemy of productivity. The old model was just habit dressed up as work ethic." An opponent responded: "This works for knowledge workers with laptops. Try running a hospital, a factory, or a restaurant on that logic." What do you think of this debate? Consider the broad implications and Where do you stand on this?
Roleplay
You lead a beginner running group that meets weekly. Theo, a member for two months, has asked to talk after today's run. Theo seems nervous.
Policy
France, Portugal, and other countries have passed 'right to disconnect' legislation giving employees the legal right to ignore work-related communications outside contracted hours without professional repercussions. Critics argue this is impractical and that many workers value the flexibility of availability. Do you think workers should have a legally protected right to disconnect from work outside of hours? Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Personal
What community service activities have you done?
Behavioral
What is an ethical dilemma you have faced?
Ethics
🇺🇸
The opioid epidemic in the United States — which has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths — was substantially shaped by the pharmaceutical industry's aggressive marketing of opioid medications as non-addictive, and by the failure of prescribers to resist that marketing. A physician who prescribed heavily said: "I was following clinical guidelines and trusting what the drug companies told me. I was deceived too." What do you think of this argument? Share your reasoning with the interviewer.
Ethics
A major social media platform's internal research found its products are associated with increased rates of anxiety and depression in adolescent girls. The findings were not made public. The company continued to optimise its algorithms for engagement and introduced new features targeting the same demographic. Given the ethical problems this situation raises, do you think platforms should face legally binding obligations to disclose internal research showing harm to users? What matters most here, in your view?
Roleplay
💊
You're in your second year of pharmacy school. Your group project is due in one week and one member, Alicia, has consistently missed meetings and submitted incomplete work. The rest of the group is frustrated and wants you to handle it since you're the project lead. Alicia has just arrived at the library for a group session — the others aren't here yet.
Policy
Should healthcare institutions implement mandatory unconscious bias training for all staff and students?
Situational
💊
You are a pharmacy student on rotation. You discover a pharmacy technician has been taking expired medication samples to sell online. They're a struggling single parent. What do you do?
Situational
💊
You are the lead pharmacist at a retail pharmacy. Your pharmacy receives a vaccine shipment that was temperature-compromised during transit. The vaccines likely exceeded safe storage temperatures, which could reduce their effectiveness or make them unsafe. Corporate tells you that the financial loss would be significant—tens of thousands of dollars—and instructs you to dispense them anyway, saying 'they're probably fine' and that 'the temperature only spiked briefly.' They imply that reporting this could reflect poorly on the pharmacy and affect your performance review. You're aware that compromised vaccines may not provide adequate immunity to patients, particularly vulnerable populations like infants and elderly individuals. What would you do? What would you consider?
Situational
A grateful patient leaves a $100 gift card and a thank-you note at the front desk addressed specifically to you. What do you do?
Ethics
Should gender-affirming care be available to minors? What factors should be considered?
Policy
Some countries have decriminalised personal possession of all drugs — treating use as a public health issue rather than a criminal one. Evidence from these jurisdictions shows reductions in overdose deaths and incarceration, but critics argue it normalises dangerous behaviour and sends the wrong message. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and How would you think about this?
Policy
🇨🇦
Canada is the only high-income country with universal hospital and physician coverage but no universal drug coverage. Legislation to establish national pharmacare has passed, but most provinces have not signed on. Supporters call it a generational advance; critics argue it will displace existing private plans and is fiscally unsustainable. What do you think? Consider the broad implications.
Behavioral
Tell me about a skill or knowledge area where you've shown significant improvement over time. What was your learning process?
Reflective
What is your biggest fear?
Policy
🇬🇧
The UK's social care system — which supports elderly and disabled people with daily living — is widely described as being in crisis: underfunded, reliant on decimated local government budgets, and paying care workers poverty wages. Structural separation from the NHS creates 'bed-blocking' as patients cannot be discharged to suitable care. Consider the broad implications of the social care funding crisis. What matters most here, in your view?
Policy
Do you think pharmaceutical companies should be allowed to advertise drugs to consumers?
Ethics
⚕️
A physician is asked by her elderly mother — who has no other local physician — to manage her ongoing hypertension and diabetes. The physician is willing, and the mother strongly prefers it. Professional guidelines generally advise against treating close family members except in emergencies. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What do you think?
Policy
A government is considering banning the advertising of high-sugar, high-fat, and high-sodium foods in media primarily consumed by children under 13. Industry groups argue it restricts commercial freedom; public health advocates argue children cannot critically evaluate persuasive advertising. Consider the broad implications of this policy. How do you weigh the competing concerns here?
Situational
What would you do if you caught a classmate cheating?
Policy
🇨🇦
A provincial health minister argued: "Letting patients pay for faster care doesn't take anything away from those who can't. It adds capacity and takes pressure off the public system." A critic responded: "That argument has been made before every two-tier system ever created. The evidence consistently shows the opposite: it drains physicians and resources from the public side." What do you think of this debate? What matters most here, in your view?
Situational
You’re volunteering at a community mental-health clinic. During a family dinner, your brother proudly mentions that he just hired a new employee named Rachel. You realize it’s a patient from your clinic who has a history of manic episodes that recently caused workplace disruptions. What do you do?
Ethics
A therapist's client has expressed credible intentions to harm a former business partner. The therapist believes disclosure would destroy the therapeutic relationship and deter others from seeking help. The client has not yet taken any action. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Policy
What are your thoughts on the role of private vs. public healthcare?
Ethics
🇬🇧
In high-profile UK cases involving critically ill children, courts have overridden the wishes of parents who wanted to continue treatment — or to seek experimental treatment abroad — determining it was not in the child's best interests. A parent said: "No judge who has never met my child should have the power to decide when they die." What do you think of this argument? What is your view?
Ethics
A charitable organization must choose who receives a limited educational opportunity: children from extremely disadvantaged backgrounds who stand to benefit the most, but are less likely to complete the program — or moderately disadvantaged children more likely to succeed and produce measurable outcomes for donors. Some argue that justice requires prioritizing those most in need. Others argue that responsible stewardship means maximizing outcomes. What do you think? Where do you stand on this?
Ethics
💊
Many pharmacies sell homeopathic remedies and supplements with no credible evidence of efficacy alongside evidence-based medications. Management expects staff to recommend these products. Some pharmacists argue this undermines their professional credibility; others argue patients have the right to choose. Do you think a pharmacist who actively recommends a product they believe has no evidence base is acting ethically? What is your view? What are your thoughts?
Roleplay
Your friend Chris called and asked to meet for coffee. They sounded uncomfortable on the phone and said they needed a favor. Chris is already seated when you arrive.
Roleplay
⚕️
Your elderly neighbor, Mr. Santos, lives alone and has been looking increasingly frail. You've noticed his mail piling up and his garden — which he usually maintains meticulously — has become overgrown. You've brought over some groceries as an excuse to check in. Mr. Santos answers the door.
Roleplay
💊
You work part-time at a pharmacy. You've noticed your coworker, Tariq, who you're friendly with, slipping sample-size over-the-counter products into their bag at the end of shifts. It's happened at least three times. You've decided to talk to Tariq before it escalates. Tariq is in the stockroom.
Policy
🇬🇧
The UK Health Secretary has repeatedly said: "The NHS will never be privatised over my watch." A health economist responded: "Nobody is proposing to nationalise Boots pharmacy or sell St Thomas' Hospital to shareholders. The real question is who delivers NHS-funded services — and on that question, the boundary has been shifting for 30 years." What do you think of this framing? How do you weigh the competing concerns here?
Ethics
A non-profit board member argues: "Hiring someone with a criminal record to mentor youth sends a message to donors and families that we don't take our responsibilities seriously. The optics matter." The strongest candidate for a youth mentorship role has a non-violent conviction from 12 years ago and has since led an exemplary life. What do you think of this argument? Discuss with the interviewer.
Behavioral
Describe a situation where you made a mistake that affected others. What did you do?
Ethics
A journalist wants to write about an individual who was convicted of a serious crime 20 years ago, served their sentence, changed their name, and has since built a new life. The information is technically part of the public record. The individual has asked not to be included. Do you think 'technically public' information is the same as information the media has a right to republish? What is your view? What are your thoughts?
Situational
🦷
You are a dentist. A patient comes in for a routine cleaning and you notice signs of severe teeth grinding and jaw tension. When you gently ask about stress, they break down crying and reveal they're in an abusive relationship. They're terrified and beg you not to document anything 'in case their partner requests my records—they control everything and check my phone and emails.' They explain that any evidence of them seeking help could escalate the danger. You want to help them, but you also have professional obligations regarding documentation and mandatory reporting in certain situations. The patient is a competent adult making a specific request. What would you do? What factors would you consider?
Situational
You're working at an organization when you discover that your mentor—someone who has been instrumental in your development, advocated for you repeatedly, and is genuinely kind—has been quietly discriminating against certain job applicants based on protected characteristics. They're subtle about it (finding 'legitimate' reasons to reject candidates), but the pattern is clear. When you carefully raise concerns, they become defensive and hurt, saying you've misunderstood and that they've 'always supported diversity.' You have documented evidence, but reporting it would likely end their career and damage your own reputation by association. They're also dealing with a family crisis and are in a fragile state. However, their behavior is harming people and perpetuating inequality. What's your responsibility here?
Policy
Many rare diseases affect too few people for pharmaceutical companies to profitably develop treatments. Should governments mandate research into rare diseases, redirect funding from common diseases, or accept that resources must be allocated where they help the most people?
Situational
You discover a colleague has been embellishing their credentials—claiming degrees from prestigious schools when they actually graduated from less-known programs. They're exceptionally good at their job, patients love them, and outcomes are excellent. But they lied on their application. Do you report it? What if they came from poverty and believed (possibly correctly) they'd never get hired without prestigious credentials?
Behavioral
What was your most challenging experience?
Policy
A government is considering a safe supply program that would provide pharmaceutical-grade opioids to people with severe addiction who have not responded to treatment, as an alternative to street drugs contaminated with fentanyl. Proponents argue it saves lives; critics argue it entrenches addiction and may divert drugs to others. Consider the broad implications of this policy. What are the key tensions, as you see them?
Situational
⚕️
You are a chief resident. You notice an intern consistently dismisses female patients' pain as 'anxiety' while taking male patients' identical symptoms seriously. This intern reports to you. What do you do?
Situational
⚕️
You are a physician leading an international medical brigade treating patients in a remote village. Your team has limited medication supplies—specifically, you have enough antibiotics for two patients, but five patients present with bacterial infections that would benefit from treatment. Among them: a pregnant woman with a kidney infection, an elderly man with pneumonia, a child with a severe skin infection, a young adult with an infected surgical wound, and a middle-aged farmer who is the sole income earner for an extended family of eight. Your team member wants to save the medication for 'potentially more critical future cases' since you're there for another week, but the patients in front of you are suffering now and their conditions could worsen without treatment. If you use the antibiotics now, you'll have none left if an emergency arises later. How would you approach this situation? What would you consider?
Ethics
⚕️
A legal philosopher once wrote: "The right to refuse medical treatment is not a concession the healthcare system makes to patients. It is the foundation of all other rights in medicine. Once we accept that physicians can override a competent patient's refusal, we have accepted that the body belongs to the state." A competent patient has refused a life-saving blood transfusion on religious grounds. What do you think of this argument in that context? Share your reasoning with the interviewer.
Ethics
🇨🇦
An elderly Indigenous patient with a serious but treatable condition repeatedly refuses investigations and hospital admission. Her care team learns she is a residential school survivor and has a profound and historically grounded distrust of institutions. A nurse says: "We've explained everything clearly. At some point, her refusal is her choice and we have to respect it." Another responds: "Respecting refusal without addressing the trauma driving it isn't respect — it's abandonment." What do you think of this tension? Make your case to the interviewer.
Ethics
🇬🇧
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) uses a cost-effectiveness threshold to decide whether the NHS should fund treatments — essentially placing a monetary value on a year of quality life. Treatments that exceed this threshold are routinely declined. A patient advocacy group said: "No government body should be in the business of telling a dying person that their life isn't worth the cost of saving it." What do you think of this position? What are your thoughts?
Policy
🇺🇸
Despite laws requiring equal coverage, mental health care in the US remains significantly harder to access than physical health care — with lower reimbursement rates, smaller provider networks, and more frequent claim denials. Critics argue the laws are unenforced; insurers argue mental health demand has simply outpaced supply. Do you think parity legislation is sufficient to address the mental health access gap, or is a more structural response required? Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Policy
Some countries have moved from opt-in to opt-out organ donation systems, where all citizens are presumed to consent unless they formally register an objection. Proponents argue it saves thousands of lives annually. Critics argue presumed consent is not meaningful consent and violates bodily autonomy. What do you think? Discuss with the interviewer.
Ethics
⚕️
A physician's patient has a communicable infection and refuses to disclose it to their partner, who is at significant risk. The patient invokes their right to confidentiality. Some argue the physician's duty to the third party overrides that right; others argue breaching confidentiality would destroy the trust that makes medicine possible. What do you think? Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Personal
Why do you want to go to school in this city?
Roleplay
Your friend Alex just texted you asking to meet at a coffee shop. When you arrive, Alex looks like they've been crying. Alex ended a three-year relationship yesterday. Alex is sitting at a table.
Ethics
Should gene editing technologies like CRISPR be used to enhance human traits (not just treat disease) in future generations?
Policy
🇺🇸
The pharmaceutical industry argues that high drug prices reflect legitimate R&D investment and that price controls will reduce innovation and ultimately cost lives. Governments counter that prices reflect market power rather than costs, and that many patients cannot access treatments that already exist. What do you think? Consider the broad implications of this debate and What strikes you as most important here?
Situational
You're managing a small rural health center during a severe flu outbreak. You have 10 doses of antiviral medication left, but 25 high-risk patients need it. Among those waiting: elderly nursing home residents, pregnant women, healthcare workers who are essential to keep the clinic running, children with asthma, and adults caring for disabled family members. How do you decide who receives the medication?
Situational
🦷
You are a dental resident. A patient asks you to prescribe antibiotics for a toothache without coming in for an exam because they can't afford the appointment. What do you do?
Policy
🇺🇸
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion access in the US depends entirely on state law — with roughly half of states imposing significant restrictions. The result is a geographic patchwork in which access correlates strongly with income and location. Do you think abortion access should be treated primarily as a public health issue? What is your view on how it should be governed? What are your thoughts?
Policy
🇨🇦
Canada has experimented with both safe supply programs — providing pharmaceutical-grade drugs to people with addiction — and decriminalisation of personal possession. Both remain deeply contested politically, with critics arguing they normalise drug use and proponents arguing they save lives and treat addiction as a health issue. Do you think safe supply and decriminalisation are appropriate responses to a drug poisoning crisis? What is your view? How do you weigh the competing concerns here?
Policy
A government is considering making vaccination against a highly contagious respiratory illness mandatory for all eligible citizens, with financial penalties for non-compliance. The policy is framed as necessary to achieve herd immunity and protect vulnerable populations who cannot be vaccinated. Consider the broad implications of a mandatory vaccination policy. What is your take on this?
Ethics
A clothing company markets itself as 'sustainable' — a label it legally qualifies for — while an independent investigation finds its carbon footprint is significantly higher than conventional alternatives. Its labour practices are exemplary. Some argue that meeting legal definitions is sufficient. Others argue that companies have a broader duty of honesty with consumers. What do you think? How would you think about this?
Roleplay
You share an apartment with Jordan. Over the past month, common areas have been increasingly messy — dishes piling up, garbage not taken out, bathroom unclean. You've decided to address it. Jordan is in the kitchen.
Situational
💊
You are a newly licensed pharmacist. A pharmaceutical rep offers an all-expenses-paid 'conference' in Hawaii if you preferentially recommend their brand-name drug over equivalent generics. What do you do?
Ethics
Do you think it's ever ethical to lie to a patient?
Policy
Legalising assisted dying for terminally ill adults is now law or policy in a growing number of countries. Proponents argue it is the logical extension of patient autonomy. Opponents argue it changes the fundamental relationship between medicine and death in ways that cannot be undone. Do you think the legalisation of assisted dying for terminally ill adults is ethically justified? How do you see this issue?
Policy
Is healthcare a right or a privilege?
Ethics
A critic of affirmative action in university admissions once argued: "The moment you allow race or background to factor into a decision, you have abandoned merit. There is no principled stopping point — it is the beginning of a system where outcomes are assigned rather than earned." What do you think of this view? What do you think?
Policy
A government is debating whether to legalise the production, sale, and consumption of recreational cannabis. Proponents argue legalisation eliminates the criminal market, generates tax revenue, and allows for product safety regulation. Critics raise concerns about public health impacts, youth access, and impaired driving. Consider the broad implications of legalising recreational cannabis. What is your take on this?
Ethics
A hospital ethics committee member argues: "If someone's liver failed because of choices they made, they should wait behind patients who had no role in causing their condition. Scarcity demands we make judgments about responsibility." Consider the ethical problems with this position. What are your thoughts?
Ethics
Is it ethical for pharmaceutical companies to charge high prices for life-saving medications?
Ethics
🇬🇧
Reports have consistently found that Black women in the UK are approximately four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and that Black men are disproportionately detained under the Mental Health Act. A senior NHS official said: "These are complex outcomes with multiple causes. Calling it institutional racism is inflammatory and not helpful for finding solutions." What do you think of this argument? Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Situational
⚕️
You are a medical student on clinical rotation. You witness a nurse making a medication error. When you point it out, they become defensive. The attending is unreachable for 30 minutes. What do you do?
Ethics
🦷
Standard infection control protocols in dental practice adequately manage the transmission risk of bloodborne infections including HIV. Despite this, some practitioners still decline to treat patients with these infections, citing discomfort or referring them elsewhere under pretextual reasons. Do you think a dentist who refuses to treat a well-controlled HIV-positive patient on grounds of personal discomfort is acting ethically? What is your view? Make your case to the interviewer.
Ethics
🦷
Parents of a child requiring a dental extraction have requested physical restraint to complete the procedure. Some argue that restraint is sometimes necessary and that parents are the appropriate decision-makers for their young children's care. Others argue that restraining a frightened child causes psychological harm that outweighs the immediate benefit. What do you think? Where do you stand on this?
Policy
Universal, publicly funded childcare is said to serve three distinct goals simultaneously: improving early childhood development, increasing labour force participation among women, and reducing socioeconomic inequality. If a government had to prioritise one of these justifications over the others in designing its childcare policy, which do you think should be primary and why? Discuss.
Ethics
💊
A pharmaceutical company representative regularly visits a pharmacy with gifts, branded merchandise, and sponsored meals, and provides incentives for pharmacists who promote their products over therapeutically equivalent alternatives. A pharmacist wonders whether accepting these benefits compromises his professional independence. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Make your case to the interviewer.
Ethics
🇺🇸
Law enforcement agencies in the United States have used consumer genetic databases — including data uploaded by people who consented only to ancestry and health purposes — to identify suspects in criminal cases. Several high-profile cases have been solved this way. A prosecutor argued: "People voluntarily uploaded this data. Using it to solve violent crimes is a straightforward public safety benefit." What do you think of this argument? What matters most here, in your view?
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you failed.
Roleplay
💊
You are a pharmacy student. Your neighbor, Lin, has knocked on your door in the evening. Lin looks anxious and is holding a bag from the pharmacy. You've chatted casually before but aren't close friends.
Behavioral
Describe a time working with someone you did not like.
Ethics
A climate advocacy organisation exaggerates projections of near-term catastrophe in its public campaigns, believing more alarming messaging will drive faster action. Its scientists privately acknowledge the claims exceed what the evidence supports. Some argue that when the stakes are genuinely high, the ends justify amplified messaging. Others argue that deliberate exaggeration — even for a good cause — is a form of dishonesty that ultimately undermines trust. What do you think? Where do you stand on this?
Roleplay
🦷
You work at a dental office as a receptionist. A parent, Mrs. Chen, is in the waiting room after her 14-year-old's routine cleaning. The dentist has told you that Mrs. Chen is asking about cosmetic procedures — veneers and whitening — for her teenager that are not dentally necessary and potentially harmful at that age. The dentist asked you to see if Mrs. Chen has questions while they finish up. Mrs. Chen is waiting.
Policy
A Housing First advocate once said: "We have been trying to fix homelessness by making people earn their housing through sobriety and employment. It hasn't worked. A home is not a reward for good behaviour — it is the precondition for it." A critic responded: "Unconditional housing rewards dysfunction and removes every incentive for people to address the root causes of their situation." What do you think of this debate? What do you think?
Personal
What makes you special?
Situational
⚕️
You are a resident physician shadowing in the emergency department when a patient arrives unconscious after a car accident. Their wallet contains a 'Do Not Resuscitate' card, but their adult child, who just arrived, is frantically demanding that everything possible be done to save them. The child says, 'My parent was depressed when they signed that—they didn't really mean it. You have to help them!' The attending physician looks to the team for input before proceeding. Meanwhile, the patient's condition is deteriorating and a decision needs to be made quickly. What factors would you consider? What would you do?
Roleplay
Your classmate Leo, who you're friendly with, has pulled you aside after lecture. Leo seems excited and wants to show you something on their laptop.
Personal
How do you relate to our mission?
Ethics
A university's internal investigation finds that a prominent professor fabricated research data. The university's legal team advises that public disclosure risks litigation and reputational damage. The university allows the professor to quietly retire, without public disclosure or retraction of affected papers. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What matters most here, in your view?
Ethics
As AI becomes better at diagnosis than human doctors, should we rely more on AI decision-making?
Situational
A colleague you respect makes a dismissive comment toward a patient from a marginalized background. You know confronting them could damage your working relationship. What do you do?
Situational
You're leading a student health initiative when you discover that a fellow student leader has been embezzling small amounts of money from the organization's budget over several months (totaling about $2,000). When you confront them, they admit it but explain that their family was evicted and they needed money for food and supplies for their younger siblings. They're the first in their family to attend university and are working two jobs while maintaining a 3.9 GPA. They're devastated and ashamed, offer to pay it back over time, and beg you not to report it because it would mean expulsion and loss of their scholarship. Your organization's constitution requires reporting any financial irregularities to the dean. What do you do?
Policy
🇨🇦
When Canada's national dental care program launched, a critic wrote: "This is a political program masquerading as a health policy. Dental care has been excluded from Medicare for 50 years for a reason — it is largely elective, extremely expensive, and the state has no business subsidising it." A supporter responded: "Oral health is health. The only reason it was excluded in 1968 is that the dental lobby was more powerful than patients." What do you think? Make your case to the interviewer.
Ethics
Research has shown that placebos can be effective even when disclosed to patients. A psychologist nonetheless chooses not to disclose placebo use to patients with minor anxiety, believing non-disclosure maximises the benefit. Patients consistently report improvement. Some argue that positive outcomes justify the approach. Others argue that undisclosed treatment is a violation of informed consent regardless of outcome. What do you think? What is your view?
Behavioral
Tell me about a time when you recognized a personal limitation or weakness that was affecting your performance. What did you do about it?
Ethics
What role should traditional or indigenous healing practices play in modern healthcare systems?
Situational
You discover a popular local business (a major employer and your organization's biggest donor) is illegally dumping chemicals likely causing elevated cancer rates. You have preliminary but not conclusive data. Going public might cause panic and lawsuits that destroy your organization's funding (affecting 500 families). Waiting for conclusive evidence (2-3 years) means more exposure. What do you do?
Ethics
🦷
A 22-year-old patient requests veneers on six healthy teeth for cosmetic reasons. The procedure would permanently and irreversibly alter otherwise healthy tooth structure. Less invasive alternatives would achieve a similar aesthetic result. The dentist has recommended against it but the patient insists. Do you think a dentist who performs an elective irreversible procedure on healthy teeth — after recommending against it — is acting ethically? What is your view? How do you see this issue?
Ethics
🇨🇦
Between the 1970s and as recently as 2018, Indigenous women in Canada reported being coerced or pressured into sterilization procedures — sometimes while in labour, sometimes without understanding what they were consenting to. This practice was carried out within the mainstream healthcare system. A healthcare professional once argued: "What happened was a product of its time. We cannot judge past practice by today's standards." What do you think of this position? What are your thoughts?
Policy
Several cities and governments have experimented with transferring public transit operations to private companies, arguing that competition and profit incentives improve efficiency. Critics point to route cuts on unprofitable lines and worsened service in lower-income areas as predictable outcomes. Do you think transit is the kind of public good that should be protected from market logic? What is your view? How do you weigh the competing concerns here?
Situational
While volunteering at a community center, a family refuses to vaccinate their children due to religious beliefs. The father quietly tells you he disagrees but fears community backlash if he consents. What do you do?
Policy
A politician advocating for lowering the voting age to 16 argued: "We ask 16-year-olds to pay taxes, drive cars, and in some places serve in the military — but we tell them their voice in shaping the society they'll inhabit for decades doesn't count. That is a form of disenfranchisement." An opponent responded: "The brain is not fully developed at 16. Voting is a serious civic act, not a participation trophy." What do you think? What matters most here, in your view?
Situational
What would you do if your employer forced you to work over Thanksgiving weekend, interfering with your family plans?
Situational
A friend owes you $200 from three months ago and keeps avoiding the topic. Now they're posting on social media about an expensive concert they just attended. How do you address this?
Ethics
A graduate student once said: "I paid a professional editor to substantially rewrite my thesis. The ideas were entirely mine. Why should it matter who polished the writing? The university is evaluating my thinking, not my grammar." What do you think of this reasoning? What are your thoughts?
Policy
In response to a housing affordability crisis, a government is considering implementing rent control — capping annual increases at or below inflation. Supporters argue it protects tenants from displacement; most economists argue it reduces housing supply over time by discouraging construction. Consider the broad implications of a rent control policy. Share your reasoning with the interviewer.
Situational
🦷
You are a dentist. A patient with severe dental phobia has avoided dentists for 15 years and now has multiple infected teeth. They're having a panic attack in your chair. What do you do?
Behavioral
What is your biggest regret?
Ethics
The CEO of a privately owned company hires their less-qualified child for a senior role over more qualified external candidates. No laws have been broken. The CEO argues that in a family business, loyalty and long-term commitment reasonably outweigh short-term qualification gaps. Do you think private ownership changes the ethical status of nepotism? What is your view? Discuss with the interviewer.
Ethics
🇺🇸
Incarcerated people in the United States have a constitutional right to healthcare, yet studies consistently document inadequate care, delayed diagnoses, and preventable deaths in correctional facilities. A corrections official argued: "Prison is a consequence of choices people made. Basic healthcare is provided. Beyond that, the public has limited appetite for treating prisoners better than law-abiding citizens." What do you think of this reasoning? Where do you stand on this?
Ethics
A logistics company has automated its warehouse operations, eliminating 400 jobs in a community where it is the primary employer. Productivity and profits have increased significantly. A retraining program was offered, but most displaced workers have not found comparable employment. Given the ethical problems this situation raises, do you think companies have obligations to communities that go beyond what the law requires? How do you see this issue?
Ethics
Should healthcare workers strike if working conditions are unsafe for them or their patients?
Policy
🇨🇦
After COVID-19 exposed catastrophic failures in Canada's long-term care system — with for-profit homes showing significantly worse outcomes — calls grew to phase out private ownership. Industry groups argue private operators are necessary to meet demand from an aging population. What do you think? Should profit-seeking ownership be permitted in long-term care? Discuss the implications with the interviewer. Discuss with the interviewer.
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you exhibited leadership.
Situational
What would you do if a coworker is taking credit for your work on a group project.
Policy
Free university tuition is often framed as a progressive policy that increases access for disadvantaged students. Critics argue it is actually regressive — since graduates earn significantly more over their lifetimes, free tuition primarily subsidises future high earners at the expense of those who never attend. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and What is your view?
Situational
What would you do if a patient refused treatment?
Ethics
Should people with unhealthy lifestyles (e.g., smokers, heavy drinkers) have reduced access to certain treatments?
Roleplay
You're at a friend's house party. You notice someone you've met a few times, Ines, sitting alone on the back porch. They're breathing heavily and seem to be having a panic attack. You step outside to check on them.
Roleplay
Your roommate Sam has been unusually quiet for the past week. You've noticed they haven't been eating much and have been skipping classes. You've decided to check in on them. Sam is in the living room.
Policy
A government report suggests reducing hospital electricity usage by lowering air conditioning levels, switching to biodegradable single-use instruments, and restricting high-energy medical imaging for non-urgent cases. Officials claim this is necessary to meet carbon neutrality goals. Critics warn that such policies could endanger patient safety and comfort. Critically examine this policy's reasoning. How should public health balance environmental responsibility and patient care?
Policy
Pharmaceutical companies argue that price controls reduce investment in research and development, ultimately costing lives through delayed or abandoned treatments. Governments argue that current pricing reflects market power, not innovation costs, and that patients are paying for profits rather than research. Whose argument do you find more persuasive, and why? Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Ethics
Dr. Sharma often prescribes vitamin supplements to patients complaining of low energy. She knows there is no clear evidence of deficiency, but believes "it can't hurt and might make them feel cared for." Consider the ethical issues raised by Dr. Sharma's actions. What professional obligations might conflict here?
Situational
You accidentally receive an email from your supervisor that contains private performance evaluations, including criticism of a close friend. Later that day, your friend mentions feeling anxious about whether management trusts them. What do you do?
Ethics
A cosmetics company has developed an ingredient that may significantly reduce burn scarring. Regulators require animal testing before human trials. The company's ethics board is divided. Alternative testing methods exist but are less validated. Three competing considerations are at stake: human benefit, animal welfare, and scientific certainty. How would you weigh these against each other? Discuss.
Situational
What would you do if a teenager confides they're being abused at home but begs you not to tell anyone?
Situational
What would you do if a team member isn’t contributing on a group project?
Policy
How would you fix the healthcare system?
Ethics
💊
A pharmacist once said: "The hierarchy in healthcare kills people. Every time a pharmacist backs down from a prescribing error because the physician pushed back, somewhere someone gets hurt. Our professional obligation to the patient doesn't disappear because a doctor has more letters after their name." A pharmacist has identified a potentially dangerous cardiac medication dose. The physician is insisting it is intentional. What do you think of this argument? Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Policy
Indigenous communities often have distrust of mainstream healthcare. How should the healthcare system address historical harms and build trust?
Situational
A 16-year-old you recognize as your neighbor's daughter requests emergency contraception at your clinic. She's terrified and begs you not to tell her strict religious parents. She mentions her boyfriend is 19 (potential statutory rape). When you discuss reporting requirements, she threatens self-harm if anyone finds out. What are your competing obligations? What do you do first? What if she insists the relationship is consensual?
Ethics
🦷
A dental ethicist once wrote: "Dentistry's exclusion from public health systems in most countries has created a quiet professional consensus that the ability to pay is a legitimate criterion for access to care. We would never accept this for a physician treating a heart attack. Why do we accept it for a dentist treating an abscess?" A patient presents in acute pain from an infected tooth and cannot pay. What do you think of this argument? What do you think?
Situational
💊
You are a community pharmacist. A patient picking up antibiotics for their child mentions they plan to 'save some for next time' to avoid another doctor visit. What do you do?
Situational
What would you do if a colleague of yours made a mistake and doesn't want to tell the patient?
Behavioral
What was the most difficult decision you have ever had to make?
Situational
🦷
You are a dentist in private practice. A patient needs $15,000 in dental work but can only afford $800 for extractions. Extractions solve immediate pain but cause long-term problems. What do you do?
Behavioral
Describe a time when you identified an unfair policy or practice and took action to address it.
Behavioral
Describe a time you had to respect someone's autonomy even when you disagreed with their choice
Ethics
A senior partner at a professional services firm once said: "Loyalty is what holds institutions together. Exposing a colleague who has given their career to this firm — especially near retirement — is a betrayal, not a virtue." A mid-level employee has discovered that this partner has been systematically overbilling clients by small amounts, totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years. What do you think of this view? Discuss with the interviewer.
Situational
⚕️
You are a hospital administrator. You discover the hospital schedules longer appointments for privately insured patients than those with public insurance. What do you think about this? What would you do?
Ethics
In a jurisdiction where assisted dying is legal for terminal illness, a proposal has been made to extend eligibility to individuals with severe, treatment-resistant mental illness who express a consistent and long-standing wish to die. Proponents argue this respects autonomy; opponents argue mental illness compromises the capacity for truly autonomous decision-making. Consider the ethical problems this proposal raises. How would you think about this?
Policy
A public health researcher argued: "Mandatory adult helmet laws are a case study in how a well-intentioned policy can cause more harm than it prevents. Every head injury avoided is offset by the cardiovascular disease that develops when people stop cycling because the law made it too inconvenient." What do you think of this argument? Consider the broad implications of mandatory helmet laws and What are your thoughts?
Ethics
⚕️
Some physicians refuse on moral grounds to perform or provide referrals for legal procedures — including abortion or assisted dying — even when patients are eligible and no other local provider is easily accessible. Do you think a physician's right to conscientious objection should include the right to withhold referrals? What is your view? Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Ethics
🇬🇧
Black men in the UK are significantly more likely than white men to be detained under the Mental Health Act — and are more likely to be brought to psychiatric services via police rather than through clinical pathways. A psychiatrist said: "We respond to presentations. If presentations differ by population, rates of detention will differ. That is clinical reality, not racism." What do you think of this position? How do you see this issue?
Roleplay
Your friend Casey asked to meet you at a park. On the phone they said they needed to talk about something important. Casey is waiting on a bench when you arrive.
Policy
🇬🇧
The UK government has identified reducing NHS waiting times as its central health commitment. But three competing strategies exist: investing in hospital capacity to clear the backlog, shifting care into community settings to reduce hospital demand, or using the private sector for faster throughput. Each prioritises a different model of what the NHS should become. How would you think about choosing among these approaches? What do you think?
Behavioral
Tell me about a time when you had to explain a complex scientific concept to someone without a science background. How did you approach it?
Situational
You’re walking out of a coffee shop when you notice someone drop their wallet. You pick it up and realize there’s a large amount of cash inside, but no ID. You also notice the person quickly leaving in a taxi before you can call out. What do you do?
Situational
💊
You are a pharmacy manager. A patient has been filling opioid prescriptions from three different doctors, suggesting doctor shopping. When you raise concerns, they become hostile. What do you do?
Ethics
🦷
Some argue that dental professionals have a particularly important role in identifying child abuse, since oral injuries are common in abuse cases and children may not disclose to other providers. Others worry that aggressive reporting obligations, applied with insufficient certainty, risk fracturing trust with families and causing harm through false reports. What do you think? Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Ethics
🇨🇦
An undocumented migrant presents to a walk-in clinic with symptoms of a serious infection. The physician knows the patient has no health coverage and that billing for the visit will fall to the clinic. A colleague suggests the physician refer the patient to the emergency department rather than treat them directly, knowing the patient may avoid going due to fear of immigration enforcement. What do you make of this situation?
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you had to advocate for someone who wasn’t being heard.
Policy
🇺🇸
Proposed cuts to Medicaid — the public insurance program covering low-income Americans — are projected to result in millions losing coverage. Supporters argue the cuts address fiscal unsustainability and reduce government dependency; opponents argue they will increase uncompensated care and harm the most vulnerable. Consider the broad implications of major cuts to Medicaid. Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Policy
🇬🇧
GP access in the UK has become one of the most cited public frustrations with the NHS. Some argue the GP model itself — based on registered lists and long-term patient relationships — is outdated and should be replaced with walk-in hubs and digital triage. Others argue continuity of care is clinically essential and should not be sacrificed for convenience. What do you think? Is the traditional GP model worth preserving? What strikes you as most important here?
Roleplay
Your cousin Riley asked you to go for a walk. Riley recently graduated and their parents expect them to join the family accounting firm. Riley seems conflicted. You're walking together.
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you changed your mind after learning new information.
Situational
A patient you've been working with for months asks you out on a date. How do you handle this?
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you experienced a team conflict and how you resolved it.
Ethics
💊
A pharmacist receives a prescription for an opioid painkiller at a dose she considers unusually high for the indication listed. The prescribing physician is known and respected. The patient insists the prescription is correct. The pharmacist has no definitive evidence of wrongdoing but has clinical concerns. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What do you think?
Policy
Do you believe diversity is important in a healthcare setting? Why or why not?
Roleplay
You and Frances both have plots in a community garden. You've noticed Frances has been using part of your plot for their plants over the past few weeks. You've decided to bring it up. Frances is working in the garden.
Ethics
💊
Some argue that a pharmacist's right to conscientious objection — like a physician's — is a fundamental professional right that must be accommodated. Others argue that pharmacy is a service profession, not a clinical relationship, and that declining to dispense a legal, time-sensitive medication is an abandonment of professional duty. What do you think? What do you make of this situation?
Reflective
What is one of your strengths in a leadership role?
Policy
Some economists and advocates argue that a Universal Basic Income — an unconditional cash payment to all citizens — is the most efficient and dignified way to address poverty in the modern economy. Critics argue it is fiscally reckless and would reduce incentives to work. What is your view on this debate? Consider the broad implications and What strikes you as most important here?
Ethics
An insurance company defends its AI pricing algorithm by saying: "We don't use race as an input. Our model is simply accurate." The algorithm has been found to charge higher premiums to people in postal codes that correlate strongly with racial and ethnic minority populations. Do you think statistical accuracy is a sufficient defence against a charge of discrimination? Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Roleplay
You teach a free weekend art class for seniors at a community center. Due to budget cuts, the program is being cancelled next month. You need to tell Greta, your most dedicated student of two years. Greta is setting up their easel.
Situational
What would you do if a colleague comes to work smelling of alcohol?
Reflective
What is your learning style?
Ethics
🦷
A dental educator once said: "The difference between a general dentist and a specialist is not just training — it is the depth of experience with edge cases. A dentist who has done 10 of a procedure is not interchangeable with one who has done 500, even if both are technically 'within scope.'" A general dentist is considering managing a complex case rather than referring to a specialist because the patient has financial constraints and prefers local care. What do you think of this framing? Make your case to the interviewer.
Situational
💊
You are a clinical pharmacist on a hospital ward. A patient's insurance denies their $800 medication. You know a $20 generic alternative exists, but the prescription says 'Dispense as Written.' What do you do?
Policy
What do you think about stem cell research?
Roleplay
Your friend Neha works at a community health clinic as an administrator. Neha called sounding distressed and asked to meet. When you arrive at the café, Neha looks conflicted.
Situational
💊
You are a pharmacy intern. A patient's young child sees you preparing their parent's HIV medication and asks loudly 'What's that for?' in a crowded pharmacy. How do you respond?
Situational
A close friend in your study group admits they copied answers from another student on a recent exam but asks you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?
Roleplay
⚕️
You are a first-year medical student. Your close friend Priya has been texting you about symptoms she's been experiencing — headaches, fatigue, dizziness. She has now asked to meet in person because she wants your opinion before deciding whether to see a doctor. Priya is at a café waiting for you.
Situational
🦷
You are a dentist working in a long-term care facility. An elderly patient with dementia refuses an extraction, but their daughter with power of attorney insists it's necessary. What would you do?
Situational
You overhear colleagues spreading a harmful rumor about a co-worker’s personal life. You consider reporting it, but one of the people gossiping is close to your manager. The targeted colleague is unaware but already seems isolated. How do you handle this, knowing it could affect your standing in the team?
Policy
Some democracies make voting compulsory, with small fines for non-participation. Proponents argue it produces more representative outcomes and strengthens democratic legitimacy. Critics argue that forcing participation violates political freedom and that disengaged voters may distort outcomes. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and What is your view?
Roleplay
🦷
You volunteer at a community center's after-school program. Today, 10-year-old Maya is supposed to leave early for a dental appointment, but she's hiding in the reading corner and refuses to go. Her parent called to say they're waiting in the parking lot. Maya is clearly scared. You've gone to talk to her.
Behavioral
Tell me about a time when you were impacted by miscommunication.
Ethics
🇨🇦
Canada's medical assistance in dying legislation has expanded eligibility beyond terminal illness to include chronic conditions and, prospectively, mental illness. Disability rights advocates have raised concerns that when people with disabilities request MAiD citing inadequate housing, poverty, or lack of support services, the state is effectively offering death as a substitute for care. A bioethicist responded: "Autonomy means accepting that people can make choices we find uncomfortable. Blocking access is paternalism." What do you think of this debate? Where do you stand on this?
Ethics
Should patients have the right to request a healthcare provider of a specific gender, race, or cultural background?
Ethics
Healthcare students learn procedures on real patients. Is this ethical, given that students are less skilled?
Reflective
What would you do if you did not get into this school?
Ethics
Some argue that companies have a responsibility to improve public health however they can — including quietly reformulating products to be healthier, even without consumer disclosure. Others argue that any form of deception, however well-intentioned, is a fundamental violation of consumer trust and autonomy. A large food manufacturer has quietly reduced sugar and sodium in its most popular products, knowing that disclosure would reduce sales. The packaging is unchanged. What do you think about this? What is your view?
Policy
🇬🇧
When the UK government announced it would dissolve NHS England and reintegrate it into the Department of Health, a health policy analyst wrote: "Every decade, a government decides the problem with the NHS is its structure. Every reorganisation costs billions, demoralises staff, and produces no measurable improvement. The disease is not organisational — it is chronically underfunded." What do you think of this argument? Share your reasoning with the interviewer.
Situational
⚕️
You are a family physician. A teenage patient experiencing gender dysphoria asks you not to inform their unsupportive parents about treatment options. What would you do?
Situational
🦷
You are graduating from dental school. You have two job offers: a high-end cosmetic practice with excellent pay, or a community health center serving underserved populations with lower pay but loan forgiveness. Your partner prefers the higher salary. How would you decide?
Behavioral
Describe a situation where you had to maintain professionalism under difficult or frustrating circumstances.
Situational
You’re working in a research lab when you discover that your supervisor has failed to report a conflict of interest—he’s consulting for the company funding the study. You depend on him for a strong reference for grad school. What do you do?
Ethics
A terminally ill parent has decided to leave the majority of their estate to one of three adult children — the one who provided primary caregiving for five years — leaving the others with very little. The decision is legally valid. Do you think unequal inheritance based on caregiving contribution is ethically justified? What do you make of this situation?
Roleplay
💊
Your roommate, Jules, injured their back at work two months ago and was prescribed painkillers. You've noticed the prescription seems to be running out faster than it should, and Jules has been asking friends for extra pills. You're concerned. Jules is on the couch watching TV.
Roleplay
You're on the organizing committee for a community cultural festival. Fellow committee member Dana has asked to speak with you privately before the meeting. Dana seems frustrated.
Ethics
🇬🇧
The NHS depends heavily on healthcare professionals recruited from low- and middle-income countries — including nations that face severe domestic health worker shortages. A recruitment agency said: "These professionals choose to come here. We are providing opportunity, not taking anything from their home countries." What do you think of this argument? What are the key tensions, as you see them?
Reflective
What are your strengths?
Situational
🦷
You are a pediatric dentist. A child needs fillings but is extremely anxious and uncooperative. The frustrated parent demands you 'just hold them down and get it done.' What do you do?
Situational
You're at a party and a friend insists on driving herself home, even though she has been drinking. What do you do?
Situational
You're on a scholarship committee choosing between two equally qualified finalists: Candidate A overcame homelessness and foster care (first in family to attend university), Candidate B has a disability and spent years advocating for accessibility (worked three times harder than peers for same grades). You can only choose one. Another committee member reveals Candidate A's essay was heavily edited by a mentor, while B's is entirely their own work. Who do you choose?
Situational
You’re catching a ride home from a friend who begins texting while driving. When you ask them to stop, they brush you off and say, “Relax, I do this all the time.” How do you respond?
Ethics
⚕️
A physician has been managing a patient with type 2 diabetes who consistently ignores dietary advice, misses appointments, and does not take his medications. His condition is worsening. The physician is considering whether to discharge the patient from her practice. Three values are in tension: respect for patient autonomy, the duty not to abandon a patient, and the physician's own professional integrity. How would you weigh these against each other? Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Situational
What would you do if a group member isn't doing their part?
Ethics
A city has installed facial recognition cameras across public spaces. Crime rates have dropped significantly. Civil liberties groups argue the system creates a chilling effect on free expression and disproportionately misidentifies people from certain ethnic groups. Some say public safety justifies the program. Others say no safety benefit justifies mass surveillance of innocent people. What do you think? Make your case to the interviewer.
Ethics
🇺🇸
Studies have consistently found that Black patients in the United States are undertreated for pain compared to white patients with equivalent conditions — a disparity linked in part to a documented false belief held by some clinicians that Black patients have higher pain tolerance or physiologically different responses. A medical educator argued: "This is not individual prejudice — it is a systemic failure embedded in training. Blaming individual physicians misses the point entirely." What do you think of this position? Discuss.
Reflective
What are your weaknesses?
Policy
Some governments mandate that a portion of parental leave be reserved exclusively for the non-birthing parent — a 'use it or lose it' allocation. Proponents argue it is the most effective lever for changing the gendered division of domestic labour. Critics argue it is an overreach into family decisions. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and Where do you stand on this?
Ethics
Should students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive preferential admission to health professions programs?
Situational
💊
You are a pharmacist working the evening shift alone. A patient becomes verbally aggressive because their prescription isn't ready. Other customers are watching and you feel unsafe. What do you do?
Situational
You see a friend post misleading health information on social media that’s getting lots of attention. How do you handle it?
Policy
During a public health crisis, when is it appropriate to mandate masks, lockdowns, or quarantines? Where should individual freedom end?
Roleplay
You're hosting a small gathering at your home. Your neighbor Bryce has knocked on your door. You've met Bryce a few times in passing. It's 10:30 PM on a Saturday night.
Policy
Australia became the first country to legislate a social media ban for users under 16. Proponents argue youth mental health data demands urgent action; critics argue blanket bans are technically ineffective, politically popular, and substitute enforcement for parenting. Do you think governments have a legitimate role in regulating children's access to social media through law? What is your view? What do you make of this situation?
Ethics
🦷
A long-standing patient asks her dentist to submit a claim for a procedure not performed, or to code a cosmetic procedure as medically necessary so it will be covered. She argues she has paid significant premiums and is simply trying to recoup costs. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What is your take on this?
Ethics
🇨🇦
A francophone patient in a predominantly anglophone region is admitted to hospital for a serious condition. No interpreter is available, and clinical staff communicate only in English. The patient later reports they did not fully understand their diagnosis or the procedures they agreed to. A hospital administrator argued: "We do our best with the resources we have. Perfect language accommodation simply isn't always possible." Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. How do you weigh the competing concerns here?
Situational
What would you do if someone in a group project falsified data?
Situational
You discover a classmate is using AI to generate their reflective essays about patient interactions—essays meant to develop empathy and self-awareness. The AI-generated reflections are actually better written and more insightful than most students' authentic ones. They're getting top marks and genuinely learning from reading what the AI produces. What do you do?
Ethics
A research scientist employed by a pharmaceutical company discovers that a widely used drug is less effective than published trials suggest, due to undisclosed methodological flaws. Reporting this would devastate the company financially. The scientist's contract includes a broad confidentiality clause. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What is your take on this?
Policy
🇨🇦
Canada's healthcare workforce crisis has multiple overlapping causes: administrative burden consuming physician time, poor working conditions driving nurses to leave, and inadequate rural distribution. If policymakers could only address one of these root causes first, a debate exists about which would produce the most systemic benefit. How would you think about prioritising among these causes? How do you see this issue?
Policy
🇬🇧
The UK parliament has passed a law legalising assisted dying for terminally ill adults. Supporters call it a historic advance in patient autonomy; opponents argue the safeguards are insufficient, that vulnerable people may feel pressured to choose death, and that palliative care must be improved first. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Situational
💊
You are a pharmacist working at a pharmacy in a conservative community. A teenage girl requests emergency contraception privately and mentions she can't let her parents find out. She's visibly anxious and you can tell she's been working up the courage to ask. Your pharmacy stocks emergency contraception and it's legal to dispense without a prescription to patients of any age, but the pharmacy owner has previously expressed strong personal and religious objections to providing it. They've told staff they believe it goes against their conscience. The girl is looking at you desperately, and the owner is in the back office. You know that if you refer her elsewhere, the nearest pharmacy that would definitely provide it is 45 minutes away, and she's on foot. What would you do? What would you consider?
Policy
An economics think tank proposes legalizing the sale of kidneys to reduce transplant waiting lists. They argue that a regulated market would prevent black-market exploitation, compensate donors fairly, and save lives. Critics claim it would commodify the human body and exploit the poor. The report dismisses these objections as "emotional resistance to economic reality." Discuss the logical and ethical merits and weaknesses of this proposal.
Ethics
A psychologist employed by a corporation is asked to conduct wellness assessments of employees. The assessments are framed as a benefit to employees, but management intends to use the results to identify individuals at risk of absenteeism or reduced productivity. Employees are not informed of this secondary use. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What are the key tensions, as you see them?
Ethics
🇨🇦
A patient in a remote northern Indigenous community requires urgent specialist care available only in a city thousands of kilometres away. Due to a shortage of medical evacuation flights, a triage decision must be made between this patient and another equally urgent case in a second community. The patient who is not evacuated may die. A health administrator said: "We make the best decisions we can with what we have. This is a resource problem, not an ethics problem." What do you think of this argument? What are the key tensions, as you see them?
Reflective
How do you handle stress?
Ethics
⚕️
A palliative care physician once said: "When a family demands 'everything be done,' they are not really asking for treatment. They are asking not to feel responsible for the death. Our job is not to perform procedures — it is to help them understand that letting go is not the same as giving up." A family is demanding aggressive intervention for a patient the team considers to be dying despite futile treatment. What do you think of this framing? What are your thoughts?
Ethics
In a country where insurers are legally permitted to use genetic information, a person who tests positive for a gene associated with early-onset Alzheimer's lies about the result on a life insurance application, fearing they will be denied coverage. Do you think the person's deception is ethically defensible given the system they are navigating? What strikes you as most important here?
Roleplay
You volunteer at a community food bank on Saturday mornings. Another regular volunteer, Morgan, has seemed distracted today and just dropped a crate of canned goods. They're now sitting on the floor of the storage room looking overwhelmed. You've gone to help.
Roleplay
🦷
Your close friend Raj has been complaining about a toothache for months but keeps cancelling dental appointments. You know Raj has been taking painkillers instead. The pain seems to be getting worse — Raj winced while eating lunch today. You've decided to bring it up. You're at Raj's apartment.
Situational
⚕️
You are a medical student on clinical rotation. You accidentally access the wrong patient chart and see that your roommate's parent has a serious illness. Your roommate seems stressed but hasn't mentioned anything. What would you do?
Roleplay
💊
You volunteer at a senior center organizing weekly activities. One of the regulars, Mrs. Okafor, has pulled you aside after bingo. She seems confused about something and keeps looking at a handful of pill bottles she brought in her purse. Mrs. Okafor trusts you because you're studying pharmacy.
Policy
🇺🇸
Private equity firms have increasingly acquired hospitals, physician practices, and nursing homes in the United States. Proponents argue PE investment brings management expertise and capital. Critics argue profit motives lead to cost-cutting that harms patients and destabilises providers when debt-laden acquisitions fail. Consider the broad implications of private equity ownership in healthcare. Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Policy
🇨🇦
More than 6 million Canadians do not have a regular family physician — a number that has grown for years. Proposed solutions include expanding scope of practice for nurse practitioners and pharmacists, incentivizing physicians to work in underserved areas, and shifting to team-based care models. Consider the broad implications of the primary care access crisis and these proposed responses. How do you see this issue?
Ethics
⚕️
An intensive care unit is at full capacity during a severe illness surge. A new patient arrives who, in the team's judgment, has a significantly better chance of survival than a patient currently occupying the last available bed. The existing patient's family has just arrived. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Where do you stand on this?
Roleplay
You've arrived at a community cooking class. The person next to you at the prep station is Yusuf, who is setting up ingredients. They smile at you. This appears to be their first time too.
Roleplay
🦷
You're part of a small team working on a group presentation for a university course. One of your teammates, Suki, has noticeably bad breath that has been making close collaboration uncomfortable. Other team members have mentioned it to you privately but nobody wants to say anything. You're meeting Suki for a one-on-one working session at the library.
Situational
💊
You are a pharmacist. A prescription seems unusually high-dose. The prescriber's office is dismissive when you call to verify. The patient is in pain and waiting. What do you do?
Ethics
💊
A patient's adult son asks a pharmacist whether his elderly mother has been prescribed any medications that could affect her ability to drive safely. He says he is worried about her. The mother has not authorized any disclosure of her medication information. Do you think a legitimate safety concern from a family member justifies disclosing a patient's medication information without their consent? What is your view? What strikes you as most important here?
Reflective
What do you think are important qualities for a healthcare professional?
Roleplay
You're at the gym and notice Owen, someone you chat with regularly, sitting on a bench looking dejected. Owen has their arm in a new brace. You go over to say hello.
Situational
What do you do if a colleague has a substance abuse problem?
Situational
A team project wins an award. You and a peer did equal work, but only you were mentioned in the press release. Your supervisor congratulates you publicly. Correcting the record may jeopardize your relationship with them. What do you do?
Behavioral
Walk me through a period when you were overwhelmed with responsibilities. How did you use to get through it?
Ethics
🇺🇸
Between 1932 and 1972, the US Public Health Service enrolled Black men with syphilis in a study in which treatment was deliberately withheld — without informed consent — to observe disease progression. The legacy of this experiment is cited as a significant driver of medical distrust among Black Americans today, including lower vaccine uptake and lower rates of clinical trial participation. A researcher argued: "We cannot let a historical wrong continue to cost lives by making people distrust medicine that could help them." What do you think? How do you see this issue?
Roleplay
You're at a dinner party. Another guest, Robin, whom you've just met, has strongly argued that social media should be completely banned for anyone under 18. The table has gone quiet and people are looking at you. Robin is passionate.
Ethics
Who should receive an organ transplant: a convicted felon or an uninsured mother?
Roleplay
🦷
You are in a dental hygiene program. You and your lab partner, Devon, practice clinical skills on each other during lab sessions. You've noticed Devon seems increasingly rough and impatient when practicing on you, and last session they caused you genuine discomfort. You need to address this before next week's lab. Devon is in the student lounge.
Behavioral
Describe a moment when you connected with someone who was going through a difficult time.
Policy
The debate over sex work policy centres on two dominant models: full decriminalisation, which treats consensual adult sex work as labour; and the 'Nordic model,' which criminalises buyers but not sellers, aiming to reduce demand. Proponents of each argue their approach better protects workers. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and What is your take on this?
Situational
What would you do if a patient's family requests you not tell the patient about their diagnosis?
Reflective
How do you study?
Ethics
In times of resource scarcity—such as limited ICU beds or transplant organs—some argue younger patients should be prioritized because they have more potential years of life. Others claim all lives should be valued equally, regardless of age. Discuss the ethical implications of using age as a factor in allocating scarce medical resources.
Ethics
⚕️
Dr. Osei has a patient newly diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Before the appointment, the patient's adult children beg him not to disclose the diagnosis, fearing it will cause severe psychological distress. Dr. Osei complies, continuing to see the patient without revealing the diagnosis. The patient never directly asks. Consider the ethical problems that Dr. Osei's behaviour might pose. What is your take on this?
Ethics
A viral blog post asserts that "organic diets cure cancer," citing several testimonials from individuals who claim remission after eliminating processed foods. The post criticizes oncologists for "profiting from chemotherapy" and argues that "pharmaceutical science ignores nature's cures." The author includes references to "a study" without citation, and dismisses contradictory data as "corporate propaganda." Evaluate the strength of the arguments presented. What logical or ethical issues arise in promoting such claims to vulnerable populations?
Personal
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Reflective
How will you handle burnout and being overwhelmed?
Roleplay
You and your coworker Dani have been collaborating on a project for weeks. In a team meeting today, Dani presented your shared work as primarily their own. Your manager suggested you talk to Dani directly. Dani is at their desk.
Policy
What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?
Situational
A coworker asks you to clock them in when they'll be 30 minutes late, saying their supervisor is 'unreasonably strict' and they might get fired for being late again. What do you do?
Roleplay
Your close friend Nadia applied for a job at the company where you work. You sit on the hiring committee. You learned today that Nadia was not selected. Nadia is calling you now — they sound excited and hopeful.
Ethics
Can compassion be taught?
Situational
You accidentally see a text on your roommate's phone suggesting they're cheating on their long-term partner, who is also your friend. What, if anything, do you do?
Roleplay
⚕️
You organize a charity run every year with your friend Amara. Amara has been training hard for six months to lead the run this year — it's deeply personal to them because the charity supports research into a disease that affected their family. You've just learned that the event has been permanently cancelled due to loss of the venue and primary sponsor. You need to tell Amara. You're meeting at the running track.
Situational
⚕️
You are a medical student. A patient with terminal cancer asks you directly, 'How long do I have?' You haven't discussed prognosis with the attending yet. How do you respond?
Ethics
🇺🇸
In many regions of the United States, Catholic-affiliated hospital systems are the only available provider of acute care. These hospitals decline to provide abortion, tubal ligation, contraceptive counselling, and in some cases miscarriage management that conflicts with their ethical and religious directives. A hospital spokesperson said: "Our values are not hidden. Patients choose to come here knowing who we are." What do you think of this argument? What is your take on this?
Ethics
A hospital press release promotes its new "AI-assisted triage system," which ranks patients by predicted survival rate to maximize efficiency. The administration reports shorter wait times and fewer administrative errors. However, some staff have noticed that patients from minority backgrounds are systematically ranked lower, potentially due to bias in the training data. Hospital leadership insists that "the algorithm is objective" and that "efficiency is our ethical duty." Critically analyze this justification. What ethical concerns and reasoning flaws might you identify?
Ethics
🦷
A dentist working in a privately owned practice notices that the clinic owner encourages practitioners to recommend elective and restorative treatments that significantly increase billings, even when a watchful waiting approach would be clinically appropriate. The dentist has observed colleagues recommending fillings for small lesions most practitioners would monitor. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Share your reasoning with the interviewer.
Policy
A public health official once said: "If we tax cigarettes to reduce smoking, taxing sugary drinks to reduce obesity is no different. Prices change behaviour, and behaviour determines health outcomes." A critic responded: "This is paternalism dressed up as public health. Poorer people already pay a disproportionate share of these taxes." What do you think of these competing positions? Discuss the broad implications of a sugar tax with the interviewer. Make your case to the interviewer.
Behavioral
Describe a situation where you had to navigate cultural differences in a team or work environment.
Ethics
⚕️
Some argue that physicians have an unconditional professional obligation to report a colleague they believe is impaired — regardless of personal loyalty, proximity to retirement, or uncertainty about the evidence. Others argue that reporting on inconclusive evidence can destroy a career and that informal intervention should come first. What do you think? How do you weigh the competing concerns here?
Situational
🦷
You are the clinical director of a community dental outreach program. You can see 20 patients today but 50 are waiting, many who traveled hours. An organizer suggests serving those who arrived earliest, but you notice many with urgent needs arrived late because they had transportation difficulties. Some people in the front of the line clearly have routine needs while others further back appear to have painful infections or broken teeth. You also notice that the waiting crowd includes elderly individuals, parents with young children, and people who may have taken time off work to be here. What would you recommend? What factors would you consider?
Ethics
🇺🇸
Several AI-powered diagnostic and triage tools used in US hospitals have been found to produce racially biased outputs — for example, one widely used algorithm was found to systematically assign lower risk scores to Black patients with equivalent health needs, directing them to fewer interventions. A technology company defended its tool by saying: "The algorithm reflects the data it was trained on. The bias is in the historical data, not in our product." What do you think of this defence? How would you think about this?
Situational
Your roommate confides in you that they have been struggling with depression and occasionally use prescription medication that was not prescribed to them. They ask you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?
Ethics
Should lifestyle choices (smoking, obesity, non-compliance) affect priority for organ transplants?
Situational
⚕️
You are a physician. A patient refuses a blood transfusion due to religious beliefs, even though it's medically necessary and they'll likely die without it. Their family is pressuring them to accept treatment. What do you do?
Behavioral
Tell me about your lowest grade.
Ethics
💊
Some argue that pharmacists, as the final checkpoint in the prescribing chain, have a professional duty to proactively raise concerns about suspected medication misuse even without a formal trigger. Others argue that the pharmacist-patient relationship depends on trust, and unsolicited intervention risks alienating patients from necessary care. What do you think? What matters most here, in your view?
Policy
Should healthcare professionals be required to receive certain vaccinations?
Reflective
What do you do for fun?
Situational
A classmate you barely know asks to copy your homework, explaining they've been dealing with a family emergency and haven't had time to complete it. What do you do?
Policy
What controversial healthcare topic are you passionate about?
Reflective
What are three words people who know you would use to describe you?
Situational
⚕️
You are a physician working in a rural clinic when a family brings in their 8-year-old daughter for a routine checkup. While examining her, you notice patterns of bruising on her arms and legs that concern you—some appear to be in different stages of healing. When you gently inquire, the parents explain that she's very active in gymnastics and 'always covered in bruises from practice.' They seem like a loving family and their explanation is plausible. However, the pattern and location of some bruises are atypical for gymnastics injuries. Your clinic partner, who has practiced in this small community for 20 years, is close friends with this family and has never had concerns. You're new to the clinic and don't want to damage relationships or make false accusations, but you're also aware that abuse can happen in any family and that failing to report suspected abuse has serious consequences. What would you consider? What are your next steps?
Situational
🦷
You are a dental student on rotation. You discover the practice owner is billing insurance for procedures not performed or performed by students. The practice is profitable and reporting it might affect your position. What do you do?
Reflective
How might the transition to this school affect you.
Ethics
⚕️
Mandatory reporting laws for intimate partner violence require healthcare professionals to report suspected abuse regardless of the patient's wishes. Critics argue these laws remove agency from survivors and may make them less likely to seek care. Proponents argue the duty to protect overrides the duty to respect a harmful decision. Do you think mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence is ethically justified? What is your view? How do you see this issue?
Roleplay
⚕️
You are a volunteer at a free community health clinic. Another volunteer, Jamie, has missed their last three Saturday shifts without explanation, leaving you and the rest of the team short-staffed during the busiest hours. Patients have had to wait significantly longer. You've decided to talk to Jamie about it. Jamie is in the break room.
Policy
An energy minister once argued: "A carbon tax is the most honest climate policy we have. It tells the truth about the cost of pollution and lets people and businesses decide how to respond. The alternative is pretending fossil fuels are cheap when they're not." A critic responded: "Carbon taxes shift the burden of climate change onto ordinary people while the industries most responsible continue operating." What do you think of this debate? Make your case to the interviewer.
Policy
What role should technology and AI play in the future of healthcare?
Ethics
🦶
A podiatrist is treating a patient with severe peripheral arterial disease and early foot ulceration. The patient has been clearly told that continued smoking will significantly accelerate tissue damage and increase amputation risk. The patient acknowledges this but says he cannot quit and does not want to discuss it further. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Make your case to the interviewer.
Situational
🐾
You are the medical director of a veterinary hospital. A colleague consistently recommends expensive diagnostics and procedures that may not be necessary, significantly increasing bills. You suspect it's driven by practice revenue pressure. What do you do?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometry student. A patient has a contact lens infection for the third time in two years from sleeping in lenses despite warnings. They want eye drops to avoid seeing an ophthalmologist. What do you do?
Ethics
🇦🇺
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations deliver care designed by and for Indigenous communities, with strong evidence of better outcomes and cultural safety. Mainstream health services often resist referring to these organisations, citing concerns about clinical standards or preferring to deliver care themselves. A hospital administrator said: "Our job is to provide the best clinical care. Where it is delivered should follow clinical logic, not political preferences." What do you think of this argument? What is your take on this?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatry student on rotation. You notice pain complaints from Black patients are dismissed more readily than identical complaints from white patients. What do you do?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatrist and clinic director. You discover a colleague performing unnecessary foot surgeries to maximize revenue—recommending bunion surgery to patients who could manage conservatively. What do you do?
Situational
🐾
You are a large animal veterinarian. A dairy cow develops a treatable but expensive condition. The farmer wants to euthanize because treatment costs more than her value. She'd fully recover. What do you do?
Policy
🇦🇺
Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme has faced significant cost blowouts, and the government has moved to tighten eligibility to reduce spending. Disability advocates argue savings will come at the cost of participants' independence and outcomes; the government argues the scheme needs to be financially sustainable to survive. What do you think? Consider the broad implications and Walk the interviewer through your thinking.
Ethics
👁️
Parents of a four-year-old with amblyopia have refused the recommended patching therapy because they find it distressing to the child and the family. Without treatment, there is a significant risk of permanent visual impairment. The child is too young to have meaningful input. Do you think parents should have the unconditional right to refuse recommended treatment for a child, even when the consequence may be permanent harm? What is your view? Where do you stand on this?
Ethics
🇦🇺
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people die in Australian police and prison custody at disproportionate rates. Healthcare professionals working in correctional settings have documented inadequate care, delayed responses to medical emergencies, and in some cases death from conditions that were foreseeable and treatable. A correctional health worker said: "We work within a system we didn't design. Our job is to provide the best care we can within the constraints we're given." What do you think of this argument? Where do you stand on this?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometrist in private practice. During an eye exam for an elderly patient, you detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy—small hemorrhages and microaneurysms in the retina that indicate blood vessel damage from high blood sugar. However, when you mention diabetes, the patient becomes visibly upset and insists emphatically that they 'don't have diabetes' and refuse your referral to see a physician. After the patient steps out briefly, their adult daughter pulls you aside in the hallway. She's clearly distressed and explains that her parent was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes four years ago but has been in complete denial ever since. They refuse to check their blood sugar, won't take prescribed medications, and continue eating a high-sugar diet. The family has tried everything to help but the patient won't listen. The daughter is worried sick but also respects her parent's autonomy. What would you do? What would you consider?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatrist. A high school athlete has plantar fasciitis and needs 6-8 weeks rest, but their coach and parents are pushing them to play through playoffs. The athlete is torn. What do you do?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatrist specializing in diabetic foot care. A patient with poor circulation insists on wearing fashionable but ill-fitting shoes despite your warnings about ulcer and amputation risk. They say 'feeling good about how I look' is part of quality of life. What do you do?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatrist in private practice. An elderly patient needs $600 custom orthotics that would significantly improve their mobility, but insurance won't cover it and they're on a fixed income. What do you do?
Policy
🇦🇺
Australia introduced one of the world's strictest vaping bans, restricting nicotine vaping to prescription-only. The UK adopted the opposite approach — managing access rather than banning it — based on harm reduction evidence that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking. Do you think Australia's approach is the right one, or do you find the harm reduction argument more persuasive? What do you make of this situation?
Ethics
👁️
A healthcare ethicist wrote: "The moment a clinician's income depends on what they recommend, informed consent becomes a fiction. The patient believes they are receiving objective advice. In reality, they are a customer who doesn't know they're in a sales relationship." An optometrist works in a practice financially affiliated with a retail optical dispensary, where staff bonuses are tied to premium product sales. What do you think of this argument? What do you make of this situation?
Ethics
🐾
A veterinarian diagnoses a dog with a treatable but expensive condition. The owner genuinely cannot afford the surgery. Without it, the animal will suffer progressively. The owner is emotionally devastated and resistant to discussing euthanasia. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What matters most here, in your view?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometrist. A patient needs new glasses but is struggling financially. They ask for their prescription to find cheaper options online. What do you do?
Ethics
👁️
An optometrist identifies a retinal finding at the edge of her clinical training to interpret. It could be benign or could indicate early pathology. Referring would take weeks, and the patient has limited ability to take time off work for further appointments. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Share your perspective with the interviewer.
Ethics
👁️
An optometrist assesses a patient whose visual acuity no longer meets the minimum legal standard for driving. When informed, the patient becomes upset and refuses to stop driving or notify the licensing authority, saying his livelihood depends on it. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What are the key tensions, as you see them?
Ethics
🐾
A veterinarian diagnoses a purebred breeding dog with a serious heritable condition. The breeder asks the veterinarian to keep the diagnosis confidential and not formally record it, citing reputational concerns. The dog has already sired multiple litters whose new owners are unaware of the risk. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. What do you make of this situation?
Ethics
🇦🇺
Australia has a documented history of court-authorised sterilisation of people with cognitive disabilities — a practice that continued into the 2000s and which some argue still occurs through guardianship mechanisms. A legal advocate argued: "When a court authorises a sterilisation, it has made a determination. That is due process." A disability rights organisation responded: "Due process for whom? The person being sterilised had no meaningful voice in the proceeding." What do you think of this exchange? What are your thoughts?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometrist. During a routine eye exam, you notice signs suggesting a brain tumor. The patient seems healthy and came in for glasses. What do you do?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatrist. A diabetic patient has a severe infected foot wound they've ignored for weeks. Without immediate intervention, amputation may be necessary. They refuse to go to the ER. What do you do?
Situational
🐾
You are a veterinarian. A client mentions they've been breeding their dog repeatedly for profit and keeping puppies in poor conditions. They ask you to provide health certificates without examining them. What do you do?
Situational
🐾
You are a wildlife veterinarian working at a rehabilitation center. An injured deer is brought in. With expensive treatment it could survive but would never be healthy enough to return to the wild, meaning lifetime captivity. Standard protocol is euthanasia for wildlife that can't be released. Some argue that captivity is better than death, while others believe wild animals should live free or not at all. The deer is young and alert, watching you with frightened eyes. Financial resources for long-term care are limited, and housing this deer means potentially turning away other animals. What would you do? What would you consider?
Situational
🐾
You are a veterinary resident. A client's dog is severely overweight from overfeeding. They become defensive when you raise concerns, insisting they're 'showing love' and the dog is 'happy.' The obesity is causing health problems. What do you do?
Ethics
🇦🇺
Australia has held asylum seekers — including children — in offshore and onshore detention for years. Medical professionals working in these settings have reported being contractually prevented from speaking publicly about conditions, and have documented physical and psychological harm resulting from prolonged detention. A government official argued: "Healthcare is provided. The detention conditions are a matter of border policy, not medical ethics." What do you think of this argument? Make your case to the interviewer.
Situational
👁️
You are an optometry student on clinical rotation. A patient insists on buying contact lenses online without proper fitting. You explain the risks but they dismiss your concerns as a 'sales tactic.' What do you do?
Ethics
🦶
A podiatrist has been managing a diabetic patient with a chronic foot wound for over a year. The patient consistently misses appointments, ignores off-loading advice, and continues smoking. The wound has not progressed. The podiatrist is considering discharging the patient. Do you think persistent non-compliance provides sufficient ethical grounds to discharge a patient with a potentially limb-threatening condition? What is your view? What do you think?
Situational
🦶
You are a sports medicine podiatrist. A professional dancer has a stress fracture. Continuing to dance could end their career, but they have a career-defining performance in two weeks. They ask you to 'do whatever it takes' to let them perform. What do you do?
Situational
🐾
You are a veterinarian. A client has been treating their pet's infection with leftover human antibiotics bought online. This could lead to resistance and is potentially dangerous. What do you do?
Situational
🐾
You are the veterinarian on emergency duty. Three critical cases arrive simultaneously: a family's beloved pet hit by a car, a severely injured stray dog, and a show horse worth hundreds of thousands. You can only treat one immediately. What do you do?
Ethics
🇦🇺
A patient from a remote Aboriginal community is admitted to a regional hospital requiring a surgical procedure. A professional interpreter is not available. A bilingual community member — who is present but not a trained medical interpreter — is used to explain the procedure and obtain consent. The patient agrees to the surgery. Post-operatively, the patient reports not having understood what was going to be done. What do you make of this situation?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometrist. A patient mentions occasional 'flashes and floaters'—symptoms that could indicate retinal detachment. Your exam shows no current detachment, but the patient has no insurance and a specialist referral would cost $500+ they don't have. The symptoms could be benign or could represent a warning sign of impending retinal detachment, which is a medical emergency that can cause permanent blindness if not treated immediately. If you don't refer them and they develop a detachment, they could lose their vision. If you do refer them and it's nothing serious, they'll be burdened with a large bill they can't afford. What would you do? What would you consider?
Situational
🐾
You are a veterinary student on rotation. You discover signs of dog abuse—multiple old fractures, fearful behavior, current injuries. The owner's explanation doesn't match. If you report it, the animal might be euthanized rather than rehomed. What do you do?
Ethics
🐾
Declawing a cat involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe and is associated with significant postoperative pain and long-term behavioural issues. It is legal in many jurisdictions but banned in others. An owner requests the procedure for household convenience. Do you think a veterinarian who declines to perform a legal procedure because they believe it causes unnecessary suffering is acting ethically? What is your view? Share your reasoning with the interviewer.
Policy
🇦🇺
Australia's government spends approximately $7 billion annually subsidising private health insurance through a tax rebate, and penalises high earners who don't hold private cover. Critics argue this is a regressive subsidy that props up a parallel tier of care; supporters argue private insurance relieves pressure on public hospitals. What do you think? Is public subsidisation of private health insurance a justifiable policy? Discuss with the interviewer.
Situational
🐾
You are a veterinarian and practice owner. A client requests euthanasia for their healthy young cat because they're moving and 'can't take it along.' The cat is friendly and highly adoptable. When you gently suggest alternatives—contacting rescue organizations, posting on adoption sites, asking friends or family—the client becomes visibly angry and defensive. They say 'it's my cat and my decision' and that they 'don't have time for all that.' Your clinic's policy technically allows for convenience euthanasia, and some colleagues argue that client autonomy should be respected. However, you're deeply uncomfortable ending a healthy animal's life when other options exist. What would you do? What would you consider?
Ethics
🐾
A racehorse trainer said to a veterinarian: "I understand the risks. The owner understands the risks. The horse can't tell us what it wants. You're being asked to treat a professional athlete before a major event — not make the decision for us." The veterinarian has recommended six months of rest for a tendon injury. The trainer wants the horse to compete in three weeks. What do you think of this argument? Where do you stand on this?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatry student. A patient requests toenail removal for cosmetic reasons. You realize they have body dysmorphic disorder and are obsessed with perceived 'flaws' in their feet. What do you do?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometrist working in a community clinic. A child struggling in school needs glasses, but the parent wants to wait 'a few months' due to cost. The teacher has labeled the child as having behavioral issues. What do you do?
Policy
🇦🇺
Australia's Royal Commission into Aged Care found the system to be "a shocking tale of neglect." A commissioner wrote: "This was not a failure of individual carers. It was the predictable consequence of a system designed around the lowest possible cost rather than the wellbeing of older Australians." What do you think this tells us about how societies should think about funding care for the elderly? What is your view?
Ethics
🐾
A veterinarian has been prescribing low-dose opioids for a dog with chronic pain. On a follow-up visit, she notices the medication is being consumed far faster than the prescribed dose accounts for. The owner offers varying explanations. The dog appears comfortable and the dose has not been changed. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. Discuss with the interviewer.
Ethics
🇦🇺
Australia has legalised voluntary assisted dying across most states. Disability advocacy organisations have consistently raised concerns that VAD legislation implicitly frames certain lives — those with chronic illness or disability — as less worth living, and that economic pressure on individuals and families may shape requests in ways that are not fully autonomous. A bioethicist responded: "Every competent adult's assessment of their own life deserves respect. Disability advocates are speaking for a community, not for individuals." What do you think of this tension? How would you think about this?
Ethics
🐾
A veterinarian once said: "Animal abuse and domestic violence share a household more often than most people realise. When I treat an animal with injuries I don't believe the owner's explanation for, I'm not just thinking about the dog. I'm thinking about who else might be at home." A veterinarian examines a dog with injuries inconsistent with the owner's account. What do you think of this framing? Discuss.
Ethics
👁️
During a routine eye exam, an optometrist finds changes consistent with a serious systemic condition. The patient came only for a glasses prescription, is in a hurry, and is visibly reluctant to hear anything beyond her prescription. Some argue the clinician's duty to disclose is absolute; others argue patients have a right not to receive unwanted information. What do you think? What is your view?
Ethics
🦶
A patient contacts a private podiatry practice with a painful, infected ingrown toenail. The patient has no insurance and cannot afford the consultation fee. The condition is causing significant pain and will worsen without treatment. Do you think healthcare professionals in private practice have a moral obligation to treat patients in pain who cannot pay, even without a legal requirement to do so? How do you see this issue?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometry resident. Your practice recommends premium lens upgrades to nearly every patient, significantly increasing revenue. You question whether everyone needs these features. What do you do?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatry resident volunteering at a community foot screening for unhoused individuals. You examine someone with severe frostbite damage to their toes requiring immediate medical attention. They need to go to a hospital, but they refuse, explaining that they've had multiple negative experiences with healthcare providers who treated them with visible disgust, made assumptions about drug use, and spoke to them dismissively. One nurse even refused to touch them. They say they'd 'rather lose the toes' than face that humiliation again. You can see they're in pain, but the trauma from previous healthcare encounters is clearly severe. What would you do? What would you consider?
Situational
👁️
You are an optometrist in a rural practice. An elderly patient with macular degeneration can no longer drive legally. They live rurally with no public transit and beg you to 'stretch the rules.' What do you do?
Ethics
🦶
A senior podiatrist once told a junior colleague: "If a procedure is within your scope of practice, it is within your scope of practice. The system has already made the judgment about what you are qualified to do. Second-guessing that on a case-by-case basis undermines the whole credentialling framework." A podiatrist with limited experience is considering performing a complex procedure she has rarely done, rather than referring to a more experienced surgeon. What do you think of this argument? What matters most here, in your view?
Ethics
🦶
A podiatrist conducting a home visit notices signs consistent with elder abuse — unexplained bruising, malnourishment, and a patient who becomes visibly anxious when her caregiver enters the room. The patient denies any problem when the caregiver is present. Some argue any credible suspicion demands reporting; others argue that reporting without sufficient certainty may cause more harm than it prevents. What do you think? What strikes you as most important here?
Situational
🐾
You are a veterinarian. A client wants to do 'everything' for their elderly suffering dog, including expensive chemotherapy that might extend life 6-12 months with poor quality. They're clearly financially struggling. What do you do?
Ethics
🐾
An owner refuses to accept a terminal cancer diagnosis in her dog and demands aggressive treatment despite the care team's view that this will cause suffering with no realistic prospect of recovery. Some argue owner autonomy should be respected; others argue the veterinarian's duty to the animal — who cannot consent — must override an owner's grief-driven decisions. What do you think? Make your case to the interviewer.
Ethics
🇦🇺
A patient in a regional Australian town requires urgent cardiac intervention available only at a major city hospital hours away. A simultaneous case in the city is prioritised for the available specialist team because the logistics of the regional transfer are considered too complex. The regional patient deteriorates. A health administrator said: "Geography is not a social determinant we can eliminate. We triage by clinical factors, not postcodes." What do you think of this argument? What matters most here, in your view?
Ethics
🐾
An owner requests euthanasia for a healthy three-year-old dog because she is relocating internationally and has made no effort to rehome the animal. Some argue that a veterinarian's duty to animal welfare justifies refusing; others argue that owner autonomy — and the legal status of animals as property — means refusal is itself an ethical overreach. What do you think? What is your view?
Policy
🇦🇺
Medicare — Australia's universal health insurance system — was designed so GPs would accept the Medicare rebate as full payment. Bulk-billing rates have declined sharply as rebates have not kept pace with practice costs. Nearly half of Australians now report visiting a GP less often due to rising out-of-pocket costs. Consider the broad implications of declining bulk-billing for Australia's universal health system. What do you think?
Situational
🦶
You are a podiatry resident volunteering at a clinic. A patient discloses they work in a factory with unsafe conditions causing repetitive foot injuries. They're undocumented and fear deportation if they report violations. What do you do?
Policy
🇦🇺
Australia's rural and Indigenous health equity gap has three commonly cited root causes: inadequate access to healthcare services, the legacy of colonisation and intergenerational trauma, and social determinants including housing, employment, and nutrition. Policy debate centres on which of these deserves the most urgent and sustained investment. How would you think about prioritising among these? What are your thoughts?
Ethics
👁️
A patient with a history of poor lens hygiene and a prior corneal infection asks to renew his contact lens prescription. He has been counselled repeatedly and insists he will comply. Some argue the patient's autonomy and stated need should be respected; others argue renewing the prescription in this case is facilitating foreseeable harm. What do you think? What are the key tensions, as you see them?
Situational
👁️
You are coordinating a school vision screening program. You identify 15 children needing exams and glasses. Many families lack insurance and the nearest affordable clinic is hours away. What do you do?
Ethics
🦶
An elderly patient with advanced diabetes intermittently refuses and agrees to a recommended amputation, depending on when she is asked. Her mild dementia prevents consistent decision-making. Her adult children disagree: one insists on the procedure, citing clinical urgency; the other opposes it, saying her mother always feared losing a limb. Consider the ethical problems this situation raises. How do you see this issue?
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