MMI ethics stations

The structure of a strong answer

Answer a station out loud, then tick what your answer had.

Ideas to use where they fit

The four pillars

Autonomy (respecting a person's informed choices), beneficence (acting in their interests), non-maleficence (avoiding harm) and justice (fairness, including fair use of limited resources). They often pull against each other; say which way you lean and why.

Consent

Valid consent is informed, given freely, and given by someone with the capacity to make that decision.

Capacity

In England and Wales the Mental Capacity Act 2005 starts from the assumption that an adult has capacity. Someone lacks it for a decision if, because of an impairment of the mind or brain, they cannot understand, retain, use or weigh the information, or communicate their choice. It is judged one decision at a time, and an unwise choice alone does not show a lack of capacity.

Gillick competence

A young person under 16 can consent to their own treatment if they understand enough to grasp fully what is proposed. Whether they do is judged for each decision.

Confidentiality and its limits

What a patient shares stays private. It can be shared with their consent, where the law requires it, or where the public interest justifies it, such as protecting someone from serious harm.

Duty of candour

When something goes wrong in someone's care that causes, or could cause, harm, they are told openly, given an apology, and told what will be done to put it right.

What costs marks

• Judging someone before you know the facts.
• Listing both sides and never deciding.
• Acting alone where you should ask someone more senior.

17 medical schools list this in what their interview assesses

• Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) (MMI)

  Interpersonal skills and empathy, teamwork and leadership, preparation and motivation, critical thinking, ethics, integrity.

• University of Birmingham, Medicine, Home applicants (MMI)

  Station types include commitment and insight, critical thinking, professionalism, a personal or ethical challenge, data, calculation and role play.

• Cardiff University (MMI)

  Course knowledge, ethics, understanding of a doctor's career, the NHS, teamwork, self-directed learning, motivation, empathy, resilience and communication.

• City St George's, University of London, MBBS4 (graduate entry) (MMI)

  Communication, empathy, ethical reasoning, problem solving and motivation.

• Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (MMI)

  Commitment to medicine and the doctor's role, contribution to the school and region, teamwork and leadership, ethics, empathy, resilience and adaptability.

• University of Glasgow (Panel)

  Panel B: communication and an ethical scenario you choose from two short options.

• Hull York Medical School, Medicine, Home applicants (MMI)

  The group scores collaboration and contribution; the interviews assess current medical and ethical issues, insight, critical thinking and NHS values.

• Imperial College London (MMI)

  Teamwork and leadership, motivation, the role of a doctor, empathy and breaking bad news, ethical and values scenarios, data interpretation.

• Keele University (Panel)

  The person specification, a doctor's wider responsibilities, and ethical and social issues.

• King's College London, Medicine (Not yet published)

  Communication, health-related social and ethical issues, suitability as a health professional, and contribution to university life.

• University of Leicester, Medicine, Home applicants (MMI)

  Motivation, reflection, organisation, problem solving, handling uncertainty and risk, responsibility, communication, teamwork, compassion, resilience, empathy, honesty and ethical judgement.

• University of Manchester (MMI)

  An informed lay view of current medicine, ethical reasoning without a prescribed opinion, tolerance and understanding.

• Queen's University Belfast (MMI)

  Communication, empathy, moral reasoning and problem solving.

• University of Sheffield, Medicine, Home applicants (MMI)

  Knowledge of Sheffield, medicine in its wider context, good medical practice, attitudes and values, you as a person, communication, ethics, information processing.

• University of St Andrews, Medicine (MMI)

  Communication and interpersonal skills at every station, plus understanding of a caring career, critical thinking, reflection and ethics.

• University of Sunderland (MMI)

  Motivation and experience, empathy and insight, a doctor's responsibilities, ethical issues in health and society, resilience, comprehension and communication.

• Swansea University, Graduate Entry Medicine (Assessment day)

  Communication, problem solving, coping with pressure, insight and integrity, passion and resilience, organisation and research, ethics and values.

Other station types