CASPer Practice Test #1 - Master Student

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Master Student

CASPer Practice Test #1

You are a 3rd year medical student on your gynecology rotation. Your team is in the operating room and the anesthesiologist has just put the patient to sleep. The gynecologist supervisor asks you to perform a vaginal exam on the patient purely for your own educational purposes. To your knowledge, the patient has not been informed of this beforehand.

1. Would you perform the vaginal exam in this situation? Why or why not?

2. It is quite common in teaching hospitals for medical students to be involved in the care of patients without the knowledge of the patient — for example, trainees often pop in and out of the operating room to help with surgeries. Is it wrong for patients to not be informed when medical students have been involved with their care? Why or why not?

3. In teaching hospitals, it is also very common for medical students to be directly involved in patient care — for example, taking a history and physical. However, some patients would prefer to be seen by a “real doctor”. If you were the supervising physician, how would you respond to such a patient?

You are working part time in a sports equipment store. In the last month, some money from the cash register has started to go missing. Your boss accuses you of stealing the money. You are innocent.

1. How do you manage the sudden change in your working relationship with your boss?

2. Your boss decides to decrease your pay to compensate for what he thinks you stole. How would you manage the situation?

3. Suppose you know it was a friend and co-worker of yours that stole the money. This friend is in a difficult financial situation, andwhile you don’t condone what he did, you understand why he did it. How does this information change what you would do?

You’re the manager at a retail store. A man tries to return a toy for a refund but doesn’t have the original receipt. Due to store policy, the cashier states she can only offer him store credit. The man says his daughter came down with pneumonia, and he needs the cash to fill her prescriptions. He asks the cashier to make a policy exception for him. She turns to you. What do you think she should do?

1. As the store manager, would you give this customer a refund? Why or why not?

2. If you decide to abide by store policy, how could you refuse the refund in a way that shows empathy for the customer?

3. In your opinion, what is the most essential quality to possess in a customer service position? Explain your response.

The following skills are deemed essential for success in many professional environments: collaboration, communication, problem solving, empathy, motivation, and self-awareness.

1. Describe a time when you came into conflict with an authority figure and how you dealt with it.

2. How would you tell a superior that you think they are ‘wrong’?

3. Is it ever appropriate to keep quiet and not speak up against a superior even though you are certain they are making a 'wrong choice’?

You are teaching a university course. One of your students, Rose, used to be a straight A student but has recently begun experiencing difficulty with her homework, and is now failing your class. You speak with Rose and learn that she’s facing a lot of stress and personal difficulties. She has taken on a job to support her family since her father is extremely ill and cannot work. Her mother passed away just six months ago and so she also has become the mother figure of the family, taking care of her siblings. Rose expresses that she cannot afford to fail and retake the class.

1. Rose pleads with you to let her pass the course since you know she is normally a straight A student. Would you let her pass? Why or why not?

2. What other concerns do you have about Rose's situation?

3. What are some other ways you could help Rose besides just letting her pass?

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has quickly taken over our world. Many people feel that we will not be able to return to our “normal” lives until a vaccine is developed. It is likely that when the vaccine is developed, there will not be enough vaccines for everyone to receive it right away.

1. Discuss the pros and cons of the legalization of recreational marijuana.

2. How do you feel this decision has impacted our society to date?

3. Discuss a similar scenario that is currently up for debate in today’s society.

You are a police officer. You are doing your daily neighbourhood rounds in a slum. You noticed a thin, clearly malnourished child stealing food from a grocery store.

1. Would you stop the child and return the food?

2. What if instead it was a well-looking child stealing from a toy store? Should your answer be different — why or why not?

3. Suppose you are the store owner and see the malnourished child stealing. How would you react?

From time to time, we are all faced with conflict in some form. With experience, we learn to deal with different forms of conflict.

1. Describe a time when you had to deal with conflict and how you coped with it?

2. How might you handle a similar situation differently should it arise again?

3. What would be your strategy if you were faced with a conflict that cannot be resolved?

A young anxious couple comes rushing into the emergency department with a very ill looking 5 year-old son. You can immediately tell the boy is quite sick and needs to be urgently assessed by a physician. Upon speaking with the family, you learn they are recent immigrants who are currently medically uninsured and do not have the money to pay for your medical services. You are the emergency physician and in charge of the department.

1. Would you treat this boy knowing that your staff and hospital cannot be compensated for staff and resource use? Why or why not?

2. How should the Canadian health care system address the issue of medically uninsured immigrants and refugees?

3. If your hospital is not willing to treat this patient, what would you do?

You are an undergraduate professor at a university. One of your straight A students, Stacy, came to talk to you regarding whether she should quit school. Your were shocked to hear the news but was also curious to hear her story. She said that her father recently became very ill and has not been able to work. Her mother has no job and Stacy is the only child. Both of her parents want her to quit school and become the sole earner for the family. Stacy is not sure what to do.

1. Do you think education is a right? Why or why not?

2. How would you help Stacy or what sources would you suggest her to get help from?

3. What if Stacy struggled to pass every course, and has in fact retook 3 of the last 10 courses she took, would you think quitting school is a good option for her?

Some reference writers have students write their own letters for them. See a professor ask his student if he could write the entire letter, and then he would review it and sign off on it to save time.

1. If you were the student, what would you say to this professor?

2. Should medical schools place significant weight on reference letters? Why/why not?

3. Some medical schools use checkbox forms for referees to fill out? Is this better? How should they be assessed?

You are a physician. A colleague of yours writes Internet blogs about his life as a doctor. Today, you read his latest blog post and realize there is enough information for you to identify the patient he is writing about.

1. What ethical concerns are involved in this situation?

2. How would you approach your colleague about your concerns?

3. To what extent should health care providers be allowed to publish information about their day to day experiences?

You are the secretary in a family medicine clinic. There is a patient who frequently does not show up for his appointment. Today, the patient callsin for an “emergency appointment”. You add him to the appointment list. However, upon seeing the patient's name, the physician says “ugh, nothim again” and asks you to cross the patient's name off the list.

1. Is there anything wrong with the physician asking you to cross the patient's name off list?

2. How would you respond to the physician?

3. Suppose you decide to follow the physician's wishes and cross the name off the list. The patient comes in for his appointment to find that hedoes not have one. He is quite angry. How would you handle the situation and what would you say to him?

Physicians are expected to exhibit professionalism in their clinical practice. This means practicing medicine with honesty, integrity and respect. It also means respecting and applying the ethical codes of practice on a daily basis.

1. Describe a time when you were faced with an ethical dilemma and how you solved it.

2. Looking back on the situation now, what alternative solutions could you have pursued?

3. Show us your general approach to solving ethical dilemmas. You are encouraged to use an example.

MANAGER

1. Describe an experience where you had to be a Manager.

2. What are essential skills or attributes that a proficient Manager must have?

3. Imagine you are the manager of a marketing team and your team members have very different ideas for how to best market your product. What strategies would you use to come to a consensus decision?

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