This high-yield guide to the GMC Duties of a Doctor explains how professional standards are examined in the MSRA Situational Judgement Test (SJT). You’ll learn the behaviours that score highest, the trap answers that lose marks, and how to apply the duties safely in real-world exam scenarios.
View the full Professional Dilemmas MSRA SJT Textbook → https://www.passthemsra.com/courses/msra-sjt-textbook/
The GMC’s Duties of a Doctor define how doctors must behave ethically, professionally, and interpersonally. In the MSRA SJT, these duties appear in nearly every scenario. The exam rewards behaviour that is safe, honest, fair, respectful, and professionally accountable.
High-scoring candidates recognise risk early, act within their competence, escalate promptly, communicate clearly, and support patient autonomy while ensuring safety. Low-scoring options tend to delay action, conceal information, avoid escalation, or put convenience, loyalty, or hierarchy above patient care.
Understanding the GMC Duties of a Doctor gives you a reliable template: care first, be honest, be fair, work safely, and act quickly when safety is threatened.
Core idea: Safety comes before everything else — workload, embarrassment, convenience, or hierarchy.
What the SJT tests:
* Acting immediately when risk exists
* Checking on the patient personally
* Seeking help early
* Correcting errors
* Documenting clearly
High-yield behaviours:
* “Protect patient safety”
* “Escalate immediately”
* “Review the patient yourself”
Red flags:
* Delayed review
* Prioritising convenience
* Ignoring deterioration
* Allowing hierarchy to override safety
Core idea: Improve the health of individuals and communities.
What the SJT tests:
* Supporting lifestyle change
* Encouraging follow-up
* Identifying safeguarding concerns
* Advising respectfully (never judgmentally)
High-yield behaviours:
* Encourage attendance
* Offer help to vulnerable groups
* Provide accessible, respectful advice
Red flags:
* Judgmental comments
* Dismissing concerns
* Ignoring safeguarding cues
Core idea: Keep knowledge up-to-date and work within competence.
What the SJT tests:
* Recognising limits
* Asking for senior help
* Safe supervision
* Reflecting and improving
High-yield behaviours:
* “Work within your competence”
* “Seek senior support”
Red flags:
* Guessing
* Attempting procedures without supervision
* Failing to ask for help
Core idea: Safe care requires teamwork, clarity, and respect.
What the SJT tests:
* Good handover
* Clear communication
* Avoiding blame
* Sharing information appropriately
* Supporting colleagues while protecting safety
High-yield behaviours:
* “Ensure a safe handover”
* “Clarify roles and responsibilities”
* “Support a colleague but escalate when safety is at risk
Red flags:
* Blame-shifting
* Poor communication
* Withholding relevant information
Core idea: Respect autonomy, privacy, dignity, and preferences.
What the SJT tests:
* Non-judgmental behaviour
* Avoiding discrimination
* Maintaining privacy
* Using chaperones
* Adapting communication
High-yield behaviours:
* “Offer privacy”
* “Use a chaperone”
* “Avoid assumptions; explore sensitively”
Red flags:
* Discrimination
* Stereotyping
* Speaking disrespectfully
Core idea: Support autonomy and informed decision-making.
What the SJT tests:
* Listening well
* Shared decision-making
* Clear explanations
* Checking understanding
High-yield rule:
* Autonomy matters, but safety wins when the two conflict.
Core idea: Transparency and integrity are non-negotiable.
What the SJT tests:
* Genuine apology
* Clear explanation
* Declaring conflicts of interest
* Factual documentation
High-yield behaviours:
* “Be open and honest”
* “Explain what happened and what will happen next”
Red flags:
* Withholding information
* Dishonesty (even small lies)
* Altering or omitting records
Core idea: Escalate concerns immediately — do not wait.
What the SJT tests:
* Whistleblowing
* Challenging unsafe behaviour
* Informing seniors
* Reporting via Datix
High-yield behaviours:
* Escalate now, not later
* Do not “fix quietly”
Red flags:
* Waiting for more evidence
* Protecting colleagues instead of patients
* Failing to report unsafe practice
1. Protect patient safety without delay.
2. Recognise your limits and seek senior help early.
3. Communicate respectfully, clearly, and honestly.
4. Treat all patients fairly and without discrimination.
5. Support vulnerable patients and promote health.
6. Apologise openly and explain next steps.
7. Ensure safe handover and teamwork.
8. Declare conflicts of interest immediately.
9. Document factually and transparently.
10. Escalate unsafe practice or risk promptly.
These traps delay, conceal, avoid responsibility, or prioritise comfort over safety.
* “I should work within my competence and seek senior support.”
* “I will be open and honest about what happened.”
* “I will treat the patient with dignity and respect.”
* “I will escalate concerns immediately.”
* “I will document clearly and factually.”
C – Care first (safety)
A – Act within competence
R – Respond honestly
E – Engage respectfully
F – Fairness
I – Integrity
T – Teamwork and escalation
Are the Duties of a Doctor tested in the MSRA SJT?
Yes — nearly every question reflects these duties.
What behaviours score highest?
Safety first, honesty, early escalation, fairness, working within competence, and respectful communication.
How should I revise this?
Focus on principles, not memorisation. Apply Duties to ranking questions and learn common pitfalls.
Should I prioritise autonomy or safety?
Safety, when risk is present.
Should I ever delay escalation?
No — delay is almost always low-scoring.
* “Make the care of the patient your first concern.”
* Acting within competence (Knowledge, Skills and Performance).
* Escalation and reporting (Safety and Quality).
* Communication and dignity (Communication, Partnership and Teamwork).
* Honesty and fairness (Maintaining Trust).
* Duty of candour.
* Raising concerns.
You notice a medication chart where a colleague has prescribed an incorrect dose. The patient is due to receive the dose soon.
Best action: Correct the error now, inform a senior or prescriber, be transparent with the team, document accurately, and complete a Datix.
Why: This protects the patient, fulfils candour, supports learning, and upholds key GMC duties.
✓ Patient care comes first — always.
✓ Honesty and transparency score highest.
✓ Work within your competence; escalate early.
✓ Treat everyone fairly and with dignity.
✓ Teamwork and safe communication are essential.
✓ Document clearly and report concerns promptly.
✓ Avoid delay, dishonesty, and unsafe shortcuts.
* → Good Medical Practice (GMP)
* → Duty of candour
* → Raising concerns about patient safety
* → Professional boundaries
* → Shared decision-making
* → Safeguarding principles
A patient is due for their evening medication, but you notice your colleague has prescribed the incorrect dose. They ask you not to escalate the issue, saying they are embarrassed and will “fix it later.”
Options:
A. Correct the dose immediately and review the patient
B. Escalate to the senior on call
C. Document the incident clearly
D. Keep the matter private to avoid upsetting the colleague
E. Wait until the end of the shift before informing anyone
F. Counsel the colleague and let them decide how to proceed
G. Complete an incident report (Datix)
H. Publicly criticise the colleague to prevent future errors
Correct three: A, B, G
• A: Immediate safety action protects the patient.
• B: Ensures senior oversight and safe follow-up.
• G: Fulfils duty of candour and supports organisational learning.
Why others are weaker/wrong:
• C: Helpful but insufficient alone.
• D/E: Concealment + delay = unsafe.
• F: Safety cannot depend on individual preference.
• H: Unprofessional and harmful to teamwork.
Example SJT — Rank 5 (best → worst)
A patient with limited English needs urgent counselling about starting insulin. A family member offers to translate.
Options:
A. Arrange a professional interpreter
B. Use simplified language and arrange follow-up with interpreter
C. Allow the family member to translate
D. Provide written information in English
E. Proceed without ensuring understanding due to time pressure
Ideal order: A (1) > B (2) > C (3) > D (4) > E (5)
• A: Safe and ensures fully informed decisions.
• B: Safe interim approach.
• C: Risky; avoid unless unavoidable.
• D: Insufficient alone.
• E: Unsafe and unethical.
