How to answer “Is there a doctor on the plane?” in a medical school interview
- Kind
- Practical scenario
Prompt
You are a first-year medical student on a long flight. A flight attendant asks over the speaker whether there is a doctor on board, because a passenger has collapsed. Nobody else responds. What would you do?
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How to approach this question
What this question tests
- Professionalism and integrity
- Ethical reasoning
How to approach it
This panel interview question tests whether you'll step forward in an emergency while staying honest about the limits of what you've been trained to do. Explain whether and how you'd respond, given that nobody else has and the crew needs help. Say how you'd describe yourself to the flight attendant, making clear you're a first-year student and not a physician, so the crew can decide how to use you. Describe help that doesn't depend on medical training, such as staying with the passenger, relaying information to the crew, and helping them reach medical advice from the ground. Name the risk on each side, from doing nothing and from acting beyond your training. Finish with a clear plan that puts the passenger first and keeps you honest about your role.
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