What ethics topics are in the MSRA?

Ethics and Law MSRA questions cover Consent, Capacity (MCA 2005), Confidentiality, End-of-Life care, and Paediatric law (Gillick/Fraser). You must apply GMC guidance to these topics to score highly.

Is Gillick competence tested in the SJT?

Yes. In Ethics and Law MSRA scenarios involving under-16s, understanding Gillick competence is essential. It determines whether a child can consent to treatment without parental involvement.

Ethics & Law – Introduction (MSRA SJT)

⭐ Ethics & Law — MSRA SJT Introduction

Ethics and Law MSRA

This guide serves as your comprehensive introduction to Ethics and Law MSRA scenarios. In the Professional Dilemmas paper, you are not just tested on being “nice”; you are tested on your ability to apply rigid legal frameworks like the Mental Capacity Act and the Children Act to complex situations.

🎥 Video Lesson (YouTube)

🎧 Podcast Lesson (Spotify / Apple / Amazon)

Understanding Ethics & Law is central to scoring well in the MSRA SJT.
Almost every professionalism dilemma contains at least one legal or ethical component—consent, capacity, fairness, safeguarding, autonomy, or end-of-life decision-making.

This section teaches the core principles that guide safe, lawful, ethical medical practice in the UK. Every topic links directly to behaviours repeatedly tested in the exam, helping you recognise patterns and avoid the common pitfalls that lead to low-scoring options.

🔷 What this section covers

You’ll learn the essential ethical and legal duties expected of all doctors:

• Consent in Adults

When consent is valid, how to provide information, the “material risk” test, and how to handle refusal safely.

• Consent in Children & Young People

Gillick competence, Fraser guidelines, parental responsibility, safeguarding implications, and confidentiality rules for under-18s.

• Capacity Assessment (Mental Capacity Act 2005)

The 5 statutory principles, the functional test of capacity, best-interests decision-making, and when to involve IMCAs.

• End-of-Life Decision-Making

DNACPR, advance decisions, ceilings of care, communication with families, and respecting patient wishes while maintaining safety.

• Resource Allocation & Fairness

Equitable care, prioritisation, avoiding discrimination, and dealing with limited resources ethically.

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in Healthcare

Providing fair and non-judgemental care, recognising unconscious bias, and respecting cultural needs.

• Managing Cultural Differences

Working with patients and families whose beliefs differ from your own, avoiding assumptions, and applying GMC guidance correctly.

To score highly in Ethics and Law MSRA ranking questions, you must be able to switch instantly between adult law (autonomy is king) and paediatric law (best interests is king).

🎯 Why this section is high-yield for the MSRA

Ethical/legal questions often test:

Autonomy vs. safety
Consent vs. capacity
Culture vs. fairness
Parental rights vs. child welfare
End-of-life preferences vs. professional duty

The highest-scoring answers consistently:
✓ Respect patient rights
✓ Follow the law
✓ Escalate when needed
✓ Protect vulnerable people
✓ Apply a fair, consistent process
✓ Document and communicate clearly

Mastering these topics gives you predictable scoring patterns for ranking and choose-three questions.

📘 What you’ll gain

By completing this section, you’ll be able to:

Judge whether consent is valid
Assess capacity accurately
Apply best-interests reasoning
Handle child and young-person consultations safely
Navigate complex end-of-life scenarios
Recognise legal red flags quickly
Provide equitable and culturally sensitive care
Identify the highest-scoring behaviours in ethical dilemmas

One of the most complex areas of law involves patients who cannot decide for themselves; for this, you must master the rules in our Capacity Assessment (Mental Capacity Act 2005) guide.

MSRA SJT FAQs – Ethics & Law

What topics are included in Ethics & Law for the MSRA SJT?
Consent, capacity, DNACPR, end-of-life care, fairness, equality, cultural sensitivity, and core legal duties in UK medical practice.

Is consent a common topic in the MSRA?
Yes. Consent and capacity are among the most frequently tested ethical themes in the SJT.

How do I approach capacity questions in the MSRA?
Apply the Mental Capacity Act: assume capacity, support decisions, assess understanding/retaining/weighing/communicating, and use best interests if lacking capacity.

What are the biggest pitfalls in ethics questions?
Ignoring capacity, overriding autonomy without safety justification, failing to escalate safeguarding concerns, and making culturally biased assumptions.