Exam MCCQE Topic 1 Question 79 Discussion
Actual exam question for Medical Council of Canada's MCCQE exam
Question #: 79
Topic #: 1
Question #: 79
Topic #: 1
A physician attending a sporting event with his family provides emergency treatment to a 65-year-old man who suffers a seizure followed by a cardiac arrest. The patient is successfully resuscitated by the physician on the scene and transported to a hospital, where he is found to have critically low blood sugar and subsequently suffers irreversible brain damage. Which one of the following statements is most accurate?
Suggested Answer: D Vote an answer
MCCQE objectives emphasize the distinction between ethical obligations and legal duties in emergency
"Good Samaritan" situations. Physicians generally do not have a legal obligation to provide care outside of a formal physician-patient relationship, nor are they legally required to accompany a patient to hospital. Good Samaritan laws are designed primarily to protect healthcare providers from liability when they voluntarily provide emergency assistance in good faith and within the scope of their competence; they do not compel physicians to act.
Professional ethical standards, however, state that physicians should render reasonable assistance in emergencies , considering their own safety, competence, and available resources. This reflects the profession' s commitment to beneficence and social responsibility. In this case, the physician appropriately provided emergency resuscitation. Subsequent poor outcome (irreversible brain injury due to hypoglycemia) does not imply negligence if care was reasonable and provided in good faith. Therefore, the most accurate statement is that professional ethics require physicians to render reasonable
"Good Samaritan" situations. Physicians generally do not have a legal obligation to provide care outside of a formal physician-patient relationship, nor are they legally required to accompany a patient to hospital. Good Samaritan laws are designed primarily to protect healthcare providers from liability when they voluntarily provide emergency assistance in good faith and within the scope of their competence; they do not compel physicians to act.
Professional ethical standards, however, state that physicians should render reasonable assistance in emergencies , considering their own safety, competence, and available resources. This reflects the profession' s commitment to beneficence and social responsibility. In this case, the physician appropriately provided emergency resuscitation. Subsequent poor outcome (irreversible brain injury due to hypoglycemia) does not imply negligence if care was reasonable and provided in good faith. Therefore, the most accurate statement is that professional ethics require physicians to render reasonable
by Astrid at Oct 07, 2026, 11:29 AM
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