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Medical Ethics & Law

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The Myth That Residents Can’t Be Personally Sued: Legal Basics
Medical Ethics & Law

The Myth That Residents Can’t Be Personally Sued: Legal Basics

Learn why residents can be personally sued, how malpractice insurance and hospital coverage work, and steps to close liability gaps and protect yourself.

What If a Family Asks Me to Hide a Diagnosis from the Patient?
Medical Ethics & Law

What If a Family Asks Me to Hide a Diagnosis from the Patient?

Social Media Missteps in Medicine That Violate Patient Privacy
Medical Ethics & Law

Social Media Missteps in Medicine That Violate Patient Privacy

Ethics of Dual Roles: When Your Patient Is Also Your Student or Trainee
Medical Ethics & Law

Ethics of Dual Roles: When Your Patient Is Also Your Student or Trainee

Fellowship Transition: Ethics Challenges When You Become the Consultant
Medical Ethics & Law

Fellowship Transition: Ethics Challenges When You Become the Consultant

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How to Navigate Religious Objections to Treatment at the Bedside
Medical Ethics & Law

How to Navigate Religious Objections to Treatment at the Bedside

Practical bedside protocol for clinicians to manage religious objections to treatment: assess capacity, identify decision-maker, and document clear care plans.

What to Do When You Disagree with Your Attending’s Care Plan
Medical Ethics & Law

What to Do When You Disagree with Your Attending’s Care Plan

Learn how to safely disagree with your attending's care plan: practical scripts, fact-check steps, and escalation guidance to protect patient safety now.

Is Saying ‘I’m Sorry’ an Admission of Guilt? Legal Reality vs Fear
Medical Ethics & Law

Is Saying ‘I’m Sorry’ an Admission of Guilt? Legal Reality vs Fear

Learn when saying 'I'm sorry' is protected, how apology laws and disclosure programs affect malpractice risk, and how clinicians can apologize safely.

First Malpractice Training Session: How to Make It Actually Useful
Medical Ethics & Law

First Malpractice Training Session: How to Make It Actually Useful

Turn your first malpractice training into practical skills: prepare cases, learn documentation and disclosure tactics, and ask targeted risk-management questions.

Mistakes Students Make in Family Meetings That Damage Trust
Medical Ethics & Law

Mistakes Students Make in Family Meetings That Damage Trust

Guide for medical students: avoid family-meeting mistakes that damage trust. Learn safe scripts, confidentiality rules, and when to defer to attendings.

Can I Ever Treat a Family Member? What Professional Guidelines Say
Medical Ethics & Law

Can I Ever Treat a Family Member? What Professional Guidelines Say

Do I Have to Report Every Impaired Colleague I Suspect?
Medical Ethics & Law

Do I Have to Report Every Impaired Colleague I Suspect?

Handling Requests for Nonbeneficial Treatments in ICU: Detailed Framework
Medical Ethics & Law

Handling Requests for Nonbeneficial Treatments in ICU: Detailed Framework

Navigating Complex Medical Ethics: The Essential Role of Ethics Committees
Medical Ethics & Law

Navigating Complex Medical Ethics: The Essential Role of Ethics Committees

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End‑of‑Year Reflection Template for Moral Distress and Growth

Medical Ethics & Law

Do Communication Skills Programs Reduce Complaints? Evidence Review

Medical Ethics & Law

The Real Reason Some Attendings Avoid Goals-of-Care Conversations

Medical Ethics & Law

Common Errors When Dealing with Surrogates and Conflicting Wishes

Medical Ethics & Law

Malpractice Claim Rates by Specialty: Where Ethical Tension Is Highest

Medical Ethics & Law

How PDs Judge You When You Push Back on Unsafe Discharge Plans

Medical Ethics & Law

Common Pitfalls When Treating Friends or Colleagues as Patients

Medical Ethics & Law

Yearly Checklist: Updating Advance Care Planning Skills as a Resident

Medical Ethics & Law

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The Unspoken Rules of Documenting ‘Against Medical Advice’ Discharges

The Unspoken Rules of Documenting ‘Against Medical Advice’ Discharges

Intern Year Timeline: When You’ll Face Your First Major Ethics Crises

Intern Year Timeline: When You’ll Face Your First Major Ethics Crises

Your First Month on Rotations: Essential Bedside Ethics Habits

Your First Month on Rotations: Essential Bedside Ethics Habits

The Ethics of AI Decision Support in Diagnostics: Bedside Implications

The Ethics of AI Decision Support in Diagnostics: Bedside Implications

A Structured Approach to Handling Suspected Intimate Partner Violence

A Structured Approach to Handling Suspected Intimate Partner Violence

Before Starting Residency: Legal Essentials to Master in 4 Weeks

Before Starting Residency: Legal Essentials to Master in 4 Weeks

Managing Conflicts with Consultants When Patient Safety Is at Risk

Managing Conflicts with Consultants When Patient Safety Is at Risk

MS1–MS2 Roadmap: Building an Ethical Foundation Before the Wards

MS1–MS2 Roadmap: Building an Ethical Foundation Before the Wards

The Fine Line Between Motivational Interviewing and Coercion in Care

The Fine Line Between Motivational Interviewing and Coercion in Care

Navigating Healthcare Ethics: Caring for Vulnerable Populations Effectively

Navigating Healthcare Ethics: Caring for Vulnerable Populations Effectively

How Faculty Decide if You’re Trustworthy in End-of-Life Decisions

How Faculty Decide if You’re Trustworthy in End-of-Life Decisions

If a Patient Gifts You Money or Expensive Items: Ethical Response

If a Patient Gifts You Money or Expensive Items: Ethical Response

Who Gets Sued More for Documentation Errors: Residents vs Attendings

Who Gets Sued More for Documentation Errors: Residents vs Attendings

Three Months Before Graduation: Legal Steps Before Signing Orders Solo

Three Months Before Graduation: Legal Steps Before Signing Orders Solo

A Practical Guide to Handling Requests for Nonindicated Tests

A Practical Guide to Handling Requests for Nonindicated Tests

Do Ethics Consults Really Protect You Legally? What the Evidence Shows

Do Ethics Consults Really Protect You Legally? What the Evidence Shows

Navigating Healthcare Ethics: Resource Allocation & Fairness Explained

Navigating Healthcare Ethics: Resource Allocation & Fairness Explained

Statistics on AMA Discharges: Risks, Readmissions, and Legal Implications

Statistics on AMA Discharges: Risks, Readmissions, and Legal Implications

Can Refusing to Perform a Procedure on Ethical Grounds Hurt My Career?

Can Refusing to Perform a Procedure on Ethical Grounds Hurt My Career?

Is It Ever Ethical to Lie to a Patient? What Guidelines Really Say

Is It Ever Ethical to Lie to a Patient? What Guidelines Really Say

Costly Consent Mistakes Residents Make Before Procedures

Costly Consent Mistakes Residents Make Before Procedures

Preparing for Night Float: Ethics Protocols to Review Before Going Solo

Preparing for Night Float: Ethics Protocols to Review Before Going Solo

What Ethics Committees Expect Residents to Know but Never Teach

What Ethics Committees Expect Residents to Know but Never Teach

Disparities in Informed Consent Quality by Language and Race

Disparities in Informed Consent Quality by Language and Race

What Actually Gets You Named in a Lawsuit During Residency

What Actually Gets You Named in a Lawsuit During Residency

Step‑Wise Strategy for De‑Escalating Agitated but Competent Patients

Step‑Wise Strategy for De‑Escalating Agitated but Competent Patients

Does Defensive Medicine Actually Prevent Lawsuits? Data and Nuance

Does Defensive Medicine Actually Prevent Lawsuits? Data and Nuance

Can Religion or Conscience Justify Refusing to Provide Certain Care?

Can Religion or Conscience Justify Refusing to Provide Certain Care?

Ethics Consult Triggers by Service Line: Patterns from Large Hospitals

Ethics Consult Triggers by Service Line: Patterns from Large Hospitals

Ethical Nuances of Treating Undocumented Patients in the ED

Ethical Nuances of Treating Undocumented Patients in the ED

Am I Obligated to Treat Abusive Patients? Ethical and Legal Boundaries

Am I Obligated to Treat Abusive Patients? Ethical and Legal Boundaries

Navigating Patient Autonomy and Beneficence in Medical Ethics

Navigating Patient Autonomy and Beneficence in Medical Ethics

What to Do When a Patient Refuses Life‑Saving Treatment

What to Do When a Patient Refuses Life‑Saving Treatment

If You Discover a Serious Error in a Colleague’s Recent Note

If You Discover a Serious Error in a Colleague’s Recent Note

Who Decides If a Patient Has Capacity? Practical Criteria for Trainees

Who Decides If a Patient Has Capacity? Practical Criteria for Trainees

Patient Portals, Open Notes, and Complaints: Post‑Implementation Data

Patient Portals, Open Notes, and Complaints: Post‑Implementation Data

What If I Disagree with My Attending’s Plan? Can I Be Punished Legally?

What If I Disagree with My Attending’s Plan? Can I Be Punished Legally?

How Much Detail Is Enough for Informed Consent on Busy Days?

How Much Detail Is Enough for Informed Consent on Busy Days?

Mastering End-of-Life Care: Ethical Challenges Every Physician Faces

Mastering End-of-Life Care: Ethical Challenges Every Physician Faces

What If a Patient Flirts with Me? How to Protect Yourself Professionally

What If a Patient Flirts with Me? How to Protect Yourself Professionally

What If I Freeze During an End‑of‑Life Conversation with a Family?

What If I Freeze During an End‑of‑Life Conversation with a Family?

Will Admitting a Mistake to a Patient Destroy My Evaluation?

Will Admitting a Mistake to a Patient Destroy My Evaluation?

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Patient Care: A Guide for Future Physicians

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Patient Care: A Guide for Future Physicians

First Year in Attending Practice: Scheduling Risk and Ethics Reviews

First Year in Attending Practice: Scheduling Risk and Ethics Reviews

If You’re Asked to Alter Documentation After a Bad Outcome

If You’re Asked to Alter Documentation After a Bad Outcome

Mastering Informed Consent: Key to Ethics and Patient Autonomy in Medicine

Mastering Informed Consent: Key to Ethics and Patient Autonomy in Medicine

Microallocation at the Bedside: Who Gets the Last ICU Bed Tonight?

Microallocation at the Bedside: Who Gets the Last ICU Bed Tonight?

Burnout, Moral Injury, and Error Rates: What the Studies Show

Burnout, Moral Injury, and Error Rates: What the Studies Show

Managing Conflicts When Siblings Disagree About Mom’s Care Plan

Managing Conflicts When Siblings Disagree About Mom’s Care Plan

A Checklist for Safely Discharging Patients You Think Aren’t Ready

A Checklist for Safely Discharging Patients You Think Aren’t Ready

How Hospitals Quietly Handle Colleague Impairment and Patient Safety

How Hospitals Quietly Handle Colleague Impairment and Patient Safety

How Often Are Trainees Named in Lawsuits? A Look at National Numbers

How Often Are Trainees Named in Lawsuits? A Look at National Numbers

Handling the Intoxicated but ‘Competent’ Patient Who Wants to Leave

Handling the Intoxicated but ‘Competent’ Patient Who Wants to Leave

When a Senior Pressures You to Do Something Unsafe: Next Steps

When a Senior Pressures You to Do Something Unsafe: Next Steps

Can I Get Sued for a Note I Wrote as a Medical Student or Intern?

Can I Get Sued for a Note I Wrote as a Medical Student or Intern?

Do Apologies Increase Lawsuits? What Malpractice Data Actually Reveal

Do Apologies Increase Lawsuits? What Malpractice Data Actually Reveal

No, ‘If It’s Not Documented, It Didn’t Happen’ Isn’t Always True

No, ‘If It’s Not Documented, It Didn’t Happen’ Isn’t Always True

Enhancing Ethical Decision-Making: The Role of Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare

Enhancing Ethical Decision-Making: The Role of Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare

How to Handle Requests for Emotional Support Animal Letters

How to Handle Requests for Emotional Support Animal Letters

When Parents and Teens Disagree: Subtle Ethics of Assent vs Consent

When Parents and Teens Disagree: Subtle Ethics of Assent vs Consent

What Not to Say After a Medical Error: Phrases That Create Liability

What Not to Say After a Medical Error: Phrases That Create Liability

How to Respond Ethically When a Patient Requests Opioids You Doubt

How to Respond Ethically When a Patient Requests Opioids You Doubt

I Posted a Vague Case Online: Could This Be a HIPAA Violation?

I Posted a Vague Case Online: Could This Be a HIPAA Violation?

Are You Required to Treat Every Patient? EMTALA Myths and Facts

Are You Required to Treat Every Patient? EMTALA Myths and Facts

Step‑by‑Step Script for Disclosing Medical Errors to Patients

Step‑by‑Step Script for Disclosing Medical Errors to Patients

When an Attending Orders You Not to Call an Ethics Consult

When an Attending Orders You Not to Call an Ethics Consult

Boundary Mistakes with Patients That Can End Your Career Early

Boundary Mistakes with Patients That Can End Your Career Early

Outcomes of Shared Decision‑Making: Data on Satisfaction and Litigation

Outcomes of Shared Decision‑Making: Data on Satisfaction and Litigation

When Can I Override a Patient’s Refusal of Care? A Clear Decision Tree

When Can I Override a Patient’s Refusal of Care? A Clear Decision Tree

If a Patient Refuses to See You for Your Gender, Race, or Religion

If a Patient Refuses to See You for Your Gender, Race, or Religion

What Counts as Shared Decision‑Making vs Subtle Coercion?

What Counts as Shared Decision‑Making vs Subtle Coercion?

Why Your Attending Rewrites Your Note After a Bad Outcome

Why Your Attending Rewrites Your Note After a Bad Outcome

When Should I Involve an Ethics Consult vs Handle It Myself?

When Should I Involve an Ethics Consult vs Handle It Myself?

What Really Happens When You’re Reported to Risk Management

What Really Happens When You’re Reported to Risk Management

Top Documentation Red Flags After a Code or Unexpected Death

Top Documentation Red Flags After a Code or Unexpected Death

What Attendings Really Think When You Refuse a Family’s Demands

What Attendings Really Think When You Refuse a Family’s Demands

When a Patient Asks for Antibiotics You Know Are Unnecessary

When a Patient Asks for Antibiotics You Know Are Unnecessary

Navigating Medical Ethics: Challenges of Technology in Modern Healthcare

Navigating Medical Ethics: Challenges of Technology in Modern Healthcare

PGY‑2 and Beyond: Planning Ethics and Law Training Before You Supervise

PGY‑2 and Beyond: Planning Ethics and Law Training Before You Supervise

Why ‘Doctor Knows Best’ Is Still Quietly Influencing Your Decisions

Why ‘Doctor Knows Best’ Is Still Quietly Influencing Your Decisions

Capacity vs Competence: Fine‑Grain Decisions Trainees Keep Getting Wrong

Capacity vs Competence: Fine‑Grain Decisions Trainees Keep Getting Wrong

The Truth About Concealing a Cancer Diagnosis at Family’s Request

The Truth About Concealing a Cancer Diagnosis at Family’s Request

What If I Suspect Child Abuse but I’m Not 100% Sure Yet?

What If I Suspect Child Abuse but I’m Not 100% Sure Yet?

Can I Get in Trouble for Overriding a Family’s ‘Do Everything’ Demand?

Can I Get in Trouble for Overriding a Family’s ‘Do Everything’ Demand?

Avoid These Ethical Errors When Managing Nonadherent Patients

Avoid These Ethical Errors When Managing Nonadherent Patients

Withholding vs Withdrawing Life Support: Why the Distinction Still Matters

Withholding vs Withdrawing Life Support: Why the Distinction Still Matters

The Biggest HIPAA Violations Trainees Commit Without Realizing It

The Biggest HIPAA Violations Trainees Commit Without Realizing It

Is It OK to Text Patients or Use WhatsApp? Privacy Rules Explained

Is It OK to Text Patients or Use WhatsApp? Privacy Rules Explained

Understanding Adolescent Patient Autonomy: Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare

Understanding Adolescent Patient Autonomy: Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare

The Myth That Refusing Treatment Makes a Patient Automatically Incompetent

The Myth That Refusing Treatment Makes a Patient Automatically Incompetent

How to Respond When a Patient Secretly Records Your Encounter

How to Respond When a Patient Secretly Records Your Encounter

How Not to Handle Requests for ‘Favors’ on Disability Paperwork

How Not to Handle Requests for ‘Favors’ on Disability Paperwork

Mastering Patient Confidentiality: Ethics, Law & Telemedicine Insights

Mastering Patient Confidentiality: Ethics, Law & Telemedicine Insights

Behind Closed Doors: How Ethics Consults Actually Work on Rounds

Behind Closed Doors: How Ethics Consults Actually Work on Rounds

Navigating Ethics of Covert Medication in Psychiatry: Rare but Real Cases

Navigating Ethics of Covert Medication in Psychiatry: Rare but Real Cases

What to Do When a Parent Refuses Standard Care for Their Child

What to Do When a Parent Refuses Standard Care for Their Child

A Practical Playbook for Handling Demanding or Entitled Families

A Practical Playbook for Handling Demanding or Entitled Families

Ethical Management of Incidental Findings on Imaging: Stepwise Approach

Ethical Management of Incidental Findings on Imaging: Stepwise Approach

I Forgot to Document a Critical Discussion: Am I in Legal Trouble?

I Forgot to Document a Critical Discussion: Am I in Legal Trouble?

Mastering Ethical Challenges in Genetic Testing: A Guide for Medical Students

Mastering Ethical Challenges in Genetic Testing: A Guide for Medical Students

Do I Have to Follow a Family’s Wishes If They Conflict with the Patient’s?

Do I Have to Follow a Family’s Wishes If They Conflict with the Patient’s?

Ethical Challenges in Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients

Ethical Challenges in Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients

The Hidden Politics of Reporting Medical Errors and Near Misses

The Hidden Politics of Reporting Medical Errors and Near Misses

What If I Think My Senior Is Unsafe but I’m Afraid to Report It?

What If I Think My Senior Is Unsafe but I’m Afraid to Report It?

Why ‘Do Everything’ Orders Don’t Mean What Families Think They Do

Why ‘Do Everything’ Orders Don’t Mean What Families Think They Do

How to Run a High-Stakes Family Meeting When the Team Is Divided

How to Run a High-Stakes Family Meeting When the Team Is Divided

Why Full Code vs DNR Is Not the Only Ethical Question That Matters

Why Full Code vs DNR Is Not the Only Ethical Question That Matters

How Honest Should I Be About Prognosis When Uncertainty Is High?

How Honest Should I Be About Prognosis When Uncertainty Is High?

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