BMA: Ethics toolkit for medical students Medical students and electives in resource-poor settings (May 2020)

Summary

This toolkit from the British Medical Association looks at some of the key challenges students may come across when undertaking a medical elective in a developing country.

Topics covered include:

• Staying within your competence
• Emergency situations
• Maintaining ethical standards
• Minimising burdens on the host country.

Content

Key principles of ethics for medical students:

• Autonomy or self-determination as a medical student
• Medical students and the GMC
• Approaching a medical dilemma as a medical student
• When police request access to patient records
• Good communication as a medical student
• Getting consent adults with capacity as a medical student
• Getting consent from adults without capacity as a medical student
• Treating children and young people as a medical student
• Confidentiality as a medical student
• Working with tutors and senior health professionals as a medical student
• As a medical student, am I always on duty?
• Social media as a medical student
• Medical students and electives in resource-poor settings
• Cultural relativism as a medical student

To find out more about these topics, follow the link below to the BMA webpage.