How Honest Should You Be In The Interview ?

[SEAL]

If I am asked about a sensitive topic in the interview ......... let's say abortion .......... if you are an obstetrician and a pregnant female came in and wanted to have an abortion, what would you do ?

 

Currently, abortion is legal in Canada ........ any woman who is less than 22 weeks pregnant can have an abortion ...... I know this.

 

Now let's say I am against abortion ....... and of course my opinion is against the law.

 

Now there are 2 ways I can answer this question:

 

1. Simply lie ........ just say hay I am okay with abortion and I will do it ........ but the problem of this approach is that I won't be able to defend it very well and the interviewer may be suspicious that I am lying.

 

2. Be honest ........... explain to the interviewer why I am against abortion and so I won't do it ......... and tell the interviewer that I would refer the patient to a colleague ......... the advantage of this approach is that I am honest so I will be able to defend my opinion very well ........but of course the major problem with this approach is that I might be red-flagged by the adcom .......... 

 

Of course I know that trying to influence the patient's decision and talking to her about why I am against abortion will NEVER be an acceptable answer in the interview and will definitely get me red-flagged 100% ........... and I really do believe in that a doctor should not impose his own beliefs on a patient in anything that doesn't affect the patient's health .......... a doctor's job is to give medical advice only to the patient.

 

So what do you guys think ?

 

Note: this is NOT a discussion about abortion.

 

This is a discussion about what to do when you are in a situation in the interview where you have to choose between speaking your mind or just saying what you think the adcom wants to hear.

 

It could be abortion, homosexuality, anything.

 

I need to get into med school first ........ I can change the world later

[LeBronto2019]

If I am asked about a sensitive topic in the interview ......... let's say abortion .......... if you are an obstetrician and a pregnant female came in and wanted to have an abortion, what would you do ?

 

Currently, abortion is legal in Canada ........ any woman who is less than 22 weeks pregnant can have an abortion ...... I know this.

 

Now let's say I am against abortion ....... and of course my opinion is against the law.

 

Now there are 2 ways I can answer this question:

 

1. Simply lie ........ just say hay I am okay with abortion and I will do it ........ but the problem of this approach is that I won't be able to defend it very well and the interviewer may be suspicious that I am lying.

 

2. Be honest ........... explain to the interviewer why I am against abortion and so I won't do it ......... and tell the interviewer that I would refer the patient to a colleague ......... the advantage of this approach is that I am honest so I will be able to defend my opinion very well ........but of course the major problem with this approach is that I might be red-flagged by the adcom .......... 

 

Of course I know that trying to influence the patient's decision and talking to her about why I am against abortion will NEVER be an acceptable answer in the interview and will definitely get me red-flagged 100% ........... and I really do believe in that a doctor should not impose his own beliefs on a patient in anything that doesn't affect the patient's health .......... a doctor's job is to give medical advice only to the patient.

 

So what do you guys think ?

 

Note: this is NOT a discussion about abortion.

 

This is a discussion about what to do when you are in a situation in the interview where you have to choose between speaking your mind or just saying what you think the adcom wants to hear.

 

It could be abortion, homosexuality, anything.

 

I need to get into med school first ........ I can change the world later

 

First of all, that last line is probably the stupidest thing I've read in a long time. Don't know how serious you are about it but that's the one form of attitude I hate from premeds.

 

Anyways, interviewers aren't there to trick you into getting flagged. Yes, they might ask very controversial questions, but if you explain yourself well enough, you could be fine. In a question about abortion, you could mention that "while abortion is legal, due to XYZ reasons, I am uncomfortable performing this procedure. However, understanding that it is part of the law and it is my responsibility as a physician to provide sound medical advice (and not impose my personal beliefs) onto patients, I would consider these options as alternatives..."

 

They don't care what your stance is, unless you're just ridiculously insensitive about the issue. Just answer honestly, support your answer, show them that you're not narrow minded and can think of other people's perspectives and alternate options as your action, and show that you've thought it out. There are many pro-life people who have gotten accepted and I've heard that their answers to these questions stem from their religious or personal convictions so if they get in with abortion being the topic, you can get in from being honest. Don't try to please them because under the stress and pressure of the interview process, you will crack and your true personality will come out. I had a question during a practice where I tried to side with option A vs. option B, even though I was personally against it, but during my answer, I said that 'upon thinking further about this issue, I would like to change my answer to option B because..."

[GH0ST]

First of all, that last line is probably the stupidest thing I've read in a long time. Don't know how serious you are about it but that's the one form of attitude I hate from premeds.

 

Anyways, interviewers aren't there to trick you into getting flagged. Yes, they might ask very controversial questions, but if you explain yourself well enough, you could be fine. In a question about abortion, you could mention that "while abortion is legal, due to XYZ reasons, I am uncomfortable performing this procedure. However, understanding that it is part of the law and it is my responsibility as a physician to provide sound medical advice (and not impose my personal beliefs) onto patients, I would consider these options as alternatives..."

 

They don't care what your stance is, unless you're just ridiculously insensitive about the issue. Just answer honestly, support your answer, show them that you're not narrow minded and can think of other people's perspectives and alternate options as your action, and show that you've thought it out. There are many pro-life people who have gotten accepted and I've heard that their answers to these questions stem from their religious or personal convictions so if they get in with abortion being the topic, you can get in from being honest. Don't try to please them because under the stress and pressure of the interview process, you will crack and your true personality will come out. I had a question during a practice where I tried to side with option A vs. option B, even though I was personally against it, but during my answer, I said that 'upon thinking further about this issue, I would like to change my answer to option B because..."

 

"Simply lie" (if lies are simple to you I question your integrity as a person)

 

"I need to get into med school first ........ I can change the world later :)" (the straight up arrogance and ignorance is profound... hard to believe this is the future of medicine... guess you can't change the world any other way, or your opinion has to be the right one...)

 

 

I appreciate my colleague and friend's way of being civil/polite.... but I'm gonna tell it to you straight..... you can f@#$ off out of medicine if you want to "simply lie."

 

Now that our formalities are out of the way....

 

In reality most of these questions are controversial, or have multitudes of answers that can become more controversial if you dig deeper. If you're against abortion that's fine......... but it's important to be aware of both sides and explicitly show understanding + empathy for both. I agree with abortion, but it doesn't mean I disregard all arguments against it.

 

This leads me to my next point... there's a potential for you to get red-flagged by some interviewers for being narrow-minded or demonstrate incredibly radical/slanted approaches.... this isn't healthy in medicine and you're not judge and jury... you're there to provide the utmost care possible, which is independent of your personal beliefs ...

 

Ex) You may be "tricked" into saying that having affirmative action programs targetting URM like First Nations is "unfair" because they are less qualified.......... easy red flag when you may not even think about it....... who are you to say one group is better than the other.. (just an example). The interviewers though aren't there to trick you... you would have to fumble yourself.

 

Assuming I'm anti-abortion, I would acknowledge my discomfort in the topic and be honest with the patient. Following that I can provide them options for referrals. They also don't have to rush any decision. Regardless of their choice, my responsibilities as a physician won't change. If they want consult on child rearing or support I can also help them find other things. Explore what their concerns/fears/expectations are ONLY IF THEY WANT TO.

 

The point is to be aware of the complexities of the question and understand that there's two sides.... even if you agree with one or the other ... it's not black and white. Just about everything is on a spectrum of decisions, and your stance can be appropriate if you defend it rationally and also acknowledge the other options and why they are preferable too.

 

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If you want to get into medicine as an actor... there are plenty of patient actors for medical student exams. If you want to be a physician with a shred of integrity... don't "simply lie" on the interview.

 

You may think that you can pull a wool over their eyes, but ignorant words don't need to be seen.

 

- G

 

EDIT: can someone move this thread to the pre-med forum or the interview one? Why is this in the med student forum?

[doc5]

First of all, that last line is probably the stupidest thing I've read in a long time. Don't know how serious you are about it but that's the one form of attitude I hate from premeds.

  

"Simply lie" (if lies are simple to you I question your integrity as a person)

 

"I need to get into med school first ........ I can change the world later :)" (the straight up arrogance and ignorance is profound... hard to believe this is the future of medicine... guess you can't change the world any other way, or your opinion has to be the right one...)

 

 

I appreciate my colleague and friend's way of being civil/polite.... but I'm gonna tell it to you straight..... you can f@#$ off out of medicine if you want to "simply lie."

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

If you want to get into medicine as an actor... there are plenty of patient actors for medical student exams. If you want to be a physician with a shred of integrity... don't "simply lie" on the interview.

 

You may think that you can pull a wool over their eyes, but ignorant words don't need to be seen.

 

- G

 

EDIT: can someone move this thread to the pre-med forum or the interview one? Why is this in the med student forum?

Are you guys for real? I don't see anything wrong with the post, the change the world later comment was obviously in jest. Yup, hard to believe this is the future of medicine...folks that can't take a joke. I sure wouldn't want someone like that to be my doctor. Congrats on your med acceptances guys, I wonder if you guys were always arrogant jerks or if it was after the acceptance.

To the OP, regarding your question, both doctak and ghost talker explained it better than I would have.

Good luck!

[3change]

...

[GH0ST]

  

Are you guys for real? I don't see anything wrong with the post, the change the world later comment was obviously in jest. Yup, hard to believe this is the future of medicine...folks that can't take a joke. I sure wouldn't want someone like that to be my doctor. Congrats on your med acceptances guys, I wonder if you guys were always arrogant jerks or if it was after the acceptance.

To the OP, regarding your question, both doctak and ghost talker explained it better than I would have.

Good luck!

 

Agree to disagree... I personally had issues with the topic itself, let alone whether or not the OP actually wants to lie in his interview. That said I can see others not having an issue with this. I voiced strongly that I did, albeit more harshly than I should have, tone notwithstanding. Whether the OP wants to believe our opinion, just like our answer to the question, is his choice.

 

We certainly won't agree on many issues I'm sure, but if you want to berate us further lets leave it to PMs and keep the thread on topic to prevent it from derailing.

 

- G

[GH0ST]

I've seen that a lot actually. People who get into med and they suddenly become impeccable lol. I think achievement makes people less humble or something.

 

I do agree that happens, though I probably won't be able to convince you that I'm not just by typing on this forum. All I hope to do is mentioned in my answer to this thread, that I want to provide the utmost care and do my best for patients who will depend on me, judgement aside and let my future actions speak for themselves. I can at least start by being more civil in future threads so I apologize for the potential debate/outbursts that could result from my post.

 

 

I do recall that you posted in the UofC and UofA forum before, so I'm assuming you are applying for this upcoming cycle around Western Canada.... I think it was the interview one from a few months back. In any case good luck and I'd be happy to help if you want it.

 

- G

[katakari]

Answer #2 is fine and what they teach in school. There are several students who are against abortion but they are still obligated to refer onwards. Although I would question why they would be an OB/GYN in this case.

 

Always be honest as insincerity is easily detectable. Note that does not mean volunteer everything you are thinking.

[3change]

...

[GH0ST]

I also tend to think that interviewers tend to give false positives often. For example, if you're being dishonest(unless if you're CIA/FBI caliber special agent), they can probably see it. However, they also tend to see a lot of honest answers as dishonest.

 

So yeah, being honest is your best option.

 

Very true... and even then it's unclear if most matriculants in every class are people with integrity.

 

 

Thanks for the offer. I'll hit you up in the future. I'm not applying to UofA/UofC. But I think interviewing is a general skill so its nice to have veteran advice.

 

=D You got this!

 

- G

 

EDIT: Q(O_OQ) =O 100th post wooooooooooo

[LeBronto2019]

Are you guys for real? I don't see anything wrong with the post, the change the world later comment was obviously in jest. Yup, hard to believe this is the future of medicine...folks that can't take a joke. I sure wouldn't want someone like that to be my doctor. Congrats on your med acceptances guys, I wonder if you guys were always arrogant jerks or if it was after the acceptance.

 

I've seen that a lot actually. People who get into med and they suddenly become impeccable lol. I think achievement makes people less humble or something.

 

The reason I made that initial statement is because I know people who have that mentality and aren't joking. For them, it's med or death so when your only concern is getting in, it'll show by your comments and behaviours. Especially when the entire topic of this thread has basically been "should I lie to impress interviewers so they let me in?", it's hard not to think that the last statement could be real. I've always felt that way about people who say things like that, especially if they meant it, so I'm not just saying that because I think I'm some amazing person above everyone else for getting accepted.

 

I hope these reactions aren't just some form of insecurity for attacking people or generalizing your view for those who have gotten accepted. If you have time to look at some of my past posts on this site, you'll see that I've brought up these issues with comments before. So me before and after acceptance hadn't changed regarding things like this. I can take a joke and you'll see that from past posts as well, but some things piss me off more than others. 

[GH0ST]

The reason I made that initial statement is because I know people who have that mentality and aren't joking. For them, it's med or death so when your only concern is getting in, it'll show by your comments and behaviours. Especially when the entire topic of this thread has basically been "should I lie to impress interviewers so they let me in?", it's hard not to think that the last statement could be real. I've always felt that way about people who say things like that, especially if they meant it, so I'm not just saying that because I think I'm some amazing person above everyone else for getting accepted.

 

I hope these reactions aren't just some form of insecurity for attacking people or generalizing your view for those who have gotten accepted. If you have time to look at some of my past posts on this site, you'll see that I've brought up these issues with comments before. So me before and after acceptance hadn't changed regarding things like this. I can take a joke and you'll see that from past posts as well, but some things piss me off more than others. 

 

Hey man this is yesterday's news, gotta let things go. They had a fair point if you look beyond the emotions and we could have been more tactful, or not respond at all. The system does a fair job weeding people out anyways... don't get so worked up. 

 

Personally I didn't like what the OP suggested and I wonder what he has to say. We don't have to agree with everyone. All we can do is our best and aim to do right in the field. 

 

Besides, the consensus beyond this bickering is clear.... don't f@#$ing lie. 

 

- G 

[GrouchoMarx]

Just give the canned CMA response. What you actually think is irrelevant. Don't be a zealot. Suicide bombers also have very strong beliefs. Not very smart, wouldn't you say?

[NLengr]

I agree with above. Just give a non controversial response. Don't try to make a stand about something during the interviewing it goes against the general public opinion. . It won't gain you anything if you make a stand and will possibly hurt you.

[amichel]

Cain and NLenger are wise. Besides, these questions are not really about your views on abortion. They're about how you would deal with this particular situation. The scenario will often tell you what "side" you are on and then you have to come up with a balanced decision that shows you have considered both sides and have considered the consequences of said decision. (refer to another provider or whatever)

[goleafsgochris]

Cain and NLenger are wise. Besides, these questions are not really about your views on abortion. They're about how you would deal with this particular situation. The scenario will often tell you what "side" you are on and then you have to come up with a balanced decision that shows you have considered both sides and have considered the consequences of said decision. (refer to another provider or whatever)

I will echo this.

 

OP, don't think of it as lying.  Think of it as learning to be an adult--we act differently in different situations.  You may hate abortion at home but in an interview, and if you become a doctor when you practice, you will need to give a different and more appropriate response at work.

 

Don't let the harsher responses bother you, they just don't like they way you worded it.  Some of them are also a little delusional (yeah, they can "weed out" people who aren't 100% integrity in interviews...1-2 hour interviews lol.  Ive seen people successfully fake parts of their personality in years long relationships. Med interviews are not magic truth serums, studies show time and time again smart ppl can easily get through faking interviews)

[older]

If I am asked about a sensitive topic in the interview ......... let's say abortion .......... if you are an obstetrician and a pregnant female came in and wanted to have an abortion, what would you do ?

 

Currently, abortion is legal in Canada ........ any woman who is less than 22 weeks pregnant can have an abortion ...... I know this.

 

Now let's say I am against abortion ....... and of course my opinion is against the law.

 

Now there are 2 ways I can answer this question:

 

1. Simply lie ........ just say hay I am okay with abortion and I will do it ........ but the problem of this approach is that I won't be able to defend it very well and the interviewer may be suspicious that I am lying.

 

2. Be honest ........... explain to the interviewer why I am against abortion and so I won't do it ......... and tell the interviewer that I would refer the patient to a colleague ......... the advantage of this approach is that I am honest so I will be able to defend my opinion very well ........but of course the major problem with this approach is that I might be red-flagged by the adcom .......... 

 

Of course I know that trying to influence the patient's decision and talking to her about why I am against abortion will NEVER be an acceptable answer in the interview and will definitely get me red-flagged 100% ........... and I really do believe in that a doctor should not impose his own beliefs on a patient in anything that doesn't affect the patient's health .......... a doctor's job is to give medical advice only to the patient.

 

So what do you guys think ?

 

Note: this is NOT a discussion about abortion.

 

This is a discussion about what to do when you are in a situation in the interview where you have to choose between speaking your mind or just saying what you think the adcom wants to hear.

 

It could be abortion, homosexuality, anything.

 

I need to get into med school first ........ I can change the world later

 

 

Your views aside, it is obvious that you are missing the point that is essential in  MMI interviews.

 

They will present you with a topic or the situation that has more than one possible outcome. Some issues will be practical, other may be ethical. You are expected to consider and discuss ALL SIDES of the issue, inluding legal, religious, etc.  AFTER you look at all sides, you might add your opinion (and justify, if you are asked), but your opinion nad personal views is not what it is all about. They want to test you whether you have open mind and consider all aspect of the issue at hand, which is a prerequiste to make informed and thoughtful decisions you will be expected to make when you become a doctor.

 

You don't need to lie, but statements such as "I would never perform abortion because it is a murder" or "because I believe in God" will disqualify you pretty quickly,  whereas  acknowledging complexity of the issue and considering  arguments of all sides will sail you through interviews with no problems.

 

It should also guide you in your future professional life. Rigid stance based on personal beliefs is the worst thing that can be expected from a doctor, and might cause a lot of harm to patients. Surely Admissions would  want to weed out such people during interviews. While no doctor should be forced  to perform abortion, all are obligated to consider the patients first and help them as much as they can.

 

Naturopathy is another controversial, although not so emotionally charged subject. Again, it doesn't matter what your personal opinion is as long as you are informed, thoughtful and caustious when delivering it.

 .

[Borborygmi]

Cain and NLenger are wise. Besides, these questions are not really about your views on abortion. They're about how you would deal with this particular situation. The scenario will often tell you what "side" you are on and then you have to come up with a balanced decision that shows you have considered both sides and have considered the consequences of said decision. (refer to another provider or whatever)

 

I also agree with this approach. If anything, I feel like this is a particularly simple situation because it's so blatantly controversial. Difficult situations will often be much more complex. Focus on dealing with the situation at hand and in a reasonable manner--it's not about whether you're for or against abortion as much as how you navigate relationships with patients in a professional setting. However, you should certainly be able to take that approach without being manipulative or a liar.

[...]

.

[SEAL]

You don't need to lie, but statements such as "I would never perform abortion because it is a murder" or "because I believe in God" will disqualify you pretty quickly,  whereas  acknowledging complexity of the issue and considering  arguments of all sides will sail you through interviews with no problems.

 

What if I honestly believe that abortion is murder ?

 

Forget about the interview for a second ......... suppose this is a real-life scenario.

 

What is wrong in telling the patient: I understand that you want an abortion but I am sorry I cannot perform this procedure ......... I can refer you to Dr. XYZ who is an excellent obstetrician with years of experience in this procedure.

 

In my response I acknowledged the patient's right to have an abortion ......... told her that I can't do it without going into the details as I understand she probably doesn't see abortion the way I do ........... that's okay everyone has their own beliefs  ......... I didn't try to preach her or anything like that .......... and I have provided a perfectly equal alternative.

 

So let's say I said all that in the interview and the interviewer asks me a direction question: why would you refuse to perform an abortion ?

 

What's wrong in telling him that I think abortion is murder ?

 

I am supposed to be working hard to save a baby's life not kill it. I can't bring myself to see a heartbeat on the monitor and then open up the patient's cervix and take out the fetus and then look back on the monitor to make sure that there is no heartbeat and that I have taken everything out. 

 

Of course I know what pro-abortionists say (and I could mention some of their points to the interviewer) but at the end of the day they don't consider abortion as murder while I do.

 

I know that the actual scenario in the interview will be much more subtle but let's suppose that this is the scenario at hand, seriously what's wrong with my reply ?

 

Everyone should be open-minded to ALL beliefs even if different than one's own, right ?

 

At the end of the day, what harm have I done to the patient ?

[amichel]

What if I honestly believe that abortion is murder ?

 

Forget about the interview for a second ......... suppose this is a real-life scenario.

 

What is wrong in telling the patient: I understand that you want an abortion but I am sorry I cannot perform this procedure ......... I can refer you to Dr. XYZ who is an excellent obstetrician with years of experience in this procedure.

 

In my response I acknowledged the patient's right to have an abortion ......... told her that I can't do it without going into the details as I understand she probably doesn't see abortion the way I do ........... that's okay everyone has their own beliefs  ......... I didn't try to preach her or anything like that .......... and I have provided a perfectly equal alternative.

 

So let's say I said all that in the interview and the interviewer asks me a direction question: why would you refuse to perform an abortion ?

 

What's wrong in telling him that I think abortion is murder ?

 

I am supposed to be working hard to save a baby's life not kill it. I can't bring myself to see a heartbeat on the monitor and then open up the patient's cervix and take out the fetus and then look back on the monitor to make sure that there is no heartbeat and that I have taken everything out. 

 

Of course I know what pro-abortionists say (and I could mention some of their points to the interviewer) but at the end of the day they don't consider abortion as murder while I do.

 

I know that the actual scenario in the interview will be much more subtle but let's suppose that this is the scenario at hand, seriously what's wrong with my reply ?

 

Everyone should be open-minded to ALL beliefs even if different than one's own, right ?

 

At the end of the day, what harm have I done to the patient ?

 

I thought this wasn't a debate about abortion.  

 

No one is ever going to ask you that. 

 

Now, lets see, you want to know what is wrong with that reply.  You already answered your own question.  You need to be open minded to other's beliefs.  If you say "abortion is murder" you are therefore calling everyone who has had an abortion/performs abortions a murderer.  That's not really being accepting of the beliefs of others. 

 

All you have to say in this situation is "For personal reasons, I would not be able to perform an abortion myself".  That's how you express an opinion about a sensitive topic.  Anything else and you are passing judgement on others, which is completely inappropriate in an interview situation (or, in my opinion, in life and practice).  

[Borborygmi]

So let's say I said all that in the interview and the interviewer asks me a direction question: why would you refuse to perform an abortion ?

 

This is so extreme that I'm fairly confident in saying that it would be highly unlikely that you would ever be faced with this question.

 

Otherwise, I think how you responded to the scenario is mostly fine. There are many physicians who choose not to perform abortions. However, there are certainly consequences to your patient with responding this way and I don't think you should think that there aren't any. How would the patient feel about what you have said to her? Would she feel judged? Has she been inconvenienced or has her quality of care been interrupted because of your course of action? What if she was approaching 24 weeks of pregnancy and a referral to another obstetrician would put her in the late-term abortion classification where it would be significantly more difficult to have the procedure done? Many others...

 

I wouldn't overthink hypothetical scenarios too much. In the actual MMI, you have such limited time to respond to a situation that you have never seen before. Formulating responses beforehand is usually unrealistic.

[Birdy]

What if I honestly believe that abortion is murder ?

 

Forget about the interview for a second ......... suppose this is a real-life scenario.

 

What is wrong in telling the patient: I understand that you want an abortion but I am sorry I cannot perform this procedure ......... I can refer you to Dr. XYZ who is an excellent obstetrician with years of experience in this procedure.

 

In my response I acknowledged the patient's right to have an abortion ......... told her that I can't do it without going into the details as I understand she probably doesn't see abortion the way I do ........... that's okay everyone has their own beliefs ......... I didn't try to preach her or anything like that .......... and I have provided a perfectly equal alternative.

 

So let's say I said all that in the interview and the interviewer asks me a direction question: why would you refuse to perform an abortion ?

 

What's wrong in telling him that I think abortion is murder ?

 

I am supposed to be working hard to save a baby's life not kill it. I can't bring myself to see a heartbeat on the monitor and then open up the patient's cervix and take out the fetus and then look back on the monitor to make sure that there is no heartbeat and that I have taken everything out.

 

Of course I know what pro-abortionists say (and I could mention some of their points to the interviewer) but at the end of the day they don't consider abortion as murder while I do.

 

I know that the actual scenario in the interview will be much more subtle but let's suppose that this is the scenario at hand, seriously what's wrong with my reply ?

 

Everyone should be open-minded to ALL beliefs even if different than one's own, right ?

 

At the end of the day, what harm have I done to the patient ?

As a doctor, your personal beliefs aren't the patient's problem. Your beliefs about abortion have absolutely no clinical relevance whatsoever and so you shut up, frankly. Keep it to your damn self. Just as a doctor who is homophobic shouldn't go telling gay patients that they are going to hell.

 

I already know and can say that I will not perform abortions which terminate healthy pregnancies, and I won't do that because of a very personal issue that will limit my ability to perform as professionally as I would need to. I will refer them and if they ask why I will tell them that my reasons aren't relevant, elective terminations aren't part of my practice, and they will receive fantastic care from the physician I am referring them to. That is all they need to know. Your personal convictions are clinically irrelevant. That is what I would tell the interviewer.

[amichel]

As a doctor, your personal beliefs aren't the patient's problem. Your beliefs about abortion have absolutely no clinical relevance whatsoever and so you shut up, frankly. Keep it to your damn self. Just as a doctor who is homophobic shouldn't go telling gay patients that they are going to hell.

 

I already know and can say that I will not perform abortions which terminate healthy pregnancies, and I won't do that because of a very personal issue that will limit my ability to perform as professionally as I would need to. I will refer them and if they ask why I will tell them that my reasons aren't relevant, elective terminations aren't part of my practice, and they will receive fantastic care from the physician I am referring them to. That is all they need to know. Your personal convictions are clinically irrelevant. That is what I would tell the interviewer.

 

 

I wonder if a more compassionate way to do this would be to say that the other provider has more experience/training (which, if you never perform terminations, would be true). I don't know.  Not that I am advocating lying to patients, but if I were your patient, in such a vulnerable position, I might feel like a provider was judging me if they simply stated that they don't perform them (even though I (as in myself on this forum) realize that you're not!).  

 

Not saying what you said is a bad way to do it, it's just interesting to think about/discuss.  

[SEAL]

As a doctor, your personal beliefs aren't the patient's problem. Your beliefs about abortion have absolutely no clinical relevance whatsoever and so you shut up, frankly. Keep it to your damn self. Just as a doctor who is homophobic shouldn't go telling gay patients that they are going to hell.

 

I already know and can say that I will not perform abortions which terminate healthy pregnancies, and I won't do that because of a very personal issue that will limit my ability to perform as professionally as I would need to. I will refer them and if they ask why I will tell them that my reasons aren't relevant, elective terminations aren't part of my practice, and they will receive fantastic care from the physician I am referring them to. That is all they need to know. Your personal convictions are clinically irrelevant. That is what I would tell the interviewer.

 

Now, lets see, you want to know what is wrong with that reply.  You already answered your own question.  You need to be open minded to other's beliefs.  If you say "abortion is murder" you are therefore calling everyone who has had an abortion/performs abortions a murderer.  That's not really being accepting of the beliefs of others. 

 

All you have to say in this situation is "For personal reasons, I would not be able to perform an abortion myself".  That's how you express an opinion about a sensitive topic.  Anything else and you are passing judgement on others, which is completely inappropriate in an interview situation (or, in my opinion, in life and practice).  

I have explicitly said that I won't say to the patient why I don't perform the procedure ........... only if faced by a direct question by the interviewer ..... but not to the actual patient.