Working with others and the public

This may be in line with GMC guidance. 

However, given the senior position of Dr P, it will likely be very difficult for Jasdeep to raise concerns with him directly and he should take steps to discuss his concerns with the appropriate person.

For example, he could talk to a member of staff with whom he has an ongoing relationship, such as his personal tutor. As the concern has arisen while he is on a placement, he could also refer to the placement provider's raising concerns policy.

This is not in line with GMC guidance. 

If Jasdeep has concerns about Dr P's behaviour and the impact this might have on patient safety, he must take steps to raise these concerns with the appropriate person. It's important that students raise concerns they have about the staff they work with.

This is most in line with GMC guidance. 

It is important that doctors and students protect patients from harm posed by a colleague's behaviour, performance or health. 

Wherever possible, students should follow their medical school's formal policy on raising concerns, which will help them to understand how to deal with difficult issues like these. 

Jasdeep was really worried about the safety of the patients under Dr P's care. Although it is difficult for a student to raise concerns about their supervisors or other medical professionals, Jasdeep decided that his primary duty was to patients and that he had a professional duty to take action to ensure their safety.

Given the seniority of Dr P, Jasdeep was uncomfortable about approaching him directly. As Jasdeep felt this was an exceptional circumstance as patients were at immediate risk, he referred to the hospital’s policy and raised his concern privately with the nurse in charge of the ward. He also emailed his educational supervisor as per his medical school’s raising concerns policy. Jasdeep was clear, honest and objective about the reason for his concern which was ultimately about patient safety, and gave a detailed account of how he had raised the concern. 

Later, the educational supervisor discussed the concerns with hospital managers. He assured Jasdeep that he would be protected from unfair treatment, and would be informed of any action taken to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

This would not be in line with GMC guidance. 

Doctors (and students where appropriate) have an overriding duty to provide care for patients who are in need of medical treatment. It is not acceptable to seek to opt out of treating a particular patient or group of patients because of their personal beliefs or views about them.

It would be reasonable for Jasdeep to object to IVF treatment for all patients because of his personal beliefs. However, Jasdeep's objection is not to the treatment but to the patients seeking treatment because of their sexual orientation.

This may be in line with GMC guidance. 

It is acceptable for a medical student to seek the advice of a senior colleague. However, it is important to note that Jasdeep's actions would not be in line with the guidance in this case if the consultant told him he could refuse to attend the treatment, and Jasdeep acted on that advice.

This answer best reflects GMC guidance.

Medical students as tomorrow's doctors must make the care of patients their first concern.

Doctors and students can have personal beliefs, but they should not be used to influence the thoughts of the patient or
affect the treatment offered. Doctors may choose to opt out of providing certain types of treatment because of their personal beliefs and values, as long as this does not result in discrimination against individuals or groups of patients.

Although he felt uncomfortable about the treatment, Jasdeep realised that he must make care of patients his first concern, regardless of his personal views. He decided to sit in on the consultation, putting aside his personal beliefs about the patients' sexual orientation.

This is in line with GMC guidance.

The GMC's What to tell us when you apply - declaration tool helps applicants work out whether they need to tell us about something on their application, this includes cautions and convictions.

This is not in line with GMC guidance.

Although the medical school may pass on information to us about individual students, it is Jasdeep's responsibility to check whether he needs to declare his caution on his application for registration - even if it occurred before he entered medical school.

This is not in line with GMC guidance.

Students must be aware that unprofessional behaviour, or serious health issues that affect their fitness to practise, may result in the GMC refusing to grant provisional registration with a licence to practise. This is the case even if the behaviour in question occurred before or early on in medical school.

The declaration tool What to tell us when you apply helps applicants work out whether they need to tell us about something on their application, this includes cautions and convictions.

Jasdeep's medical school sent an email to all graduating students about the need to make a full disclosure when applying to the GMC, even if something occurred before they entered medical school. Jasdeep used our declaration tool What to tell us when you apply before he completed his application form. He entered that he had received a caution in the UK when he was under 18 and was advised that he didn't need to declare the caution when he applied for registration.