You are doing your rotations during medical school, and you see one of your closest friends in medical school cover up a medical error they made with a patient. What do you do?

Where answers to this question lose points

Our scorer marks every answer on three parts. For each of the 88 applicants who finished this question on Confetto, we took their first scored answer and counted the part that scored lowest.

• Structure: a clear order and a clear point32 of 88
• Communication: tone, clarity and professionalism22 of 88

Confetto data as of November 8, 2026. A part is shown only when 20 or more applicants share it. Answers where two parts tied are not counted toward either. We never show anyone's answers or details.

What this question tests

• Ethics
• Professionalism

How to structure your answer

1. Ask questions (25 seconds). The opening should identify what the student wants to learn from their friend about the error and its concealment, rather than announce a verdict. The answer’s information-gathering step is a private conversation to understand what happened and express concern.
2. Who is affected (20 seconds). The answer puts the patient first because an unaddressed medical error could harm their health. It then considers the friend’s distress and fear, the student’s difficult position, the supervising physician’s responsibilities, and the integrity of the medical profession.
3. The conflict (20 seconds). The conflict is between loyalty to a close friend and the duty to protect the patient by addressing a concealed error. The answer recognizes the emotional cost of reporting a friend but makes clear that friendship cannot override safe patient care.
4. Options (40 seconds). The answer first proposes encouraging the friend to report voluntarily, allowing correction while acknowledging their fear of consequences. If the friend refuses, the alternative is reporting to the supervising physician, which protects the patient but could seriously strain the friendship.
5. Choose (30 seconds). The answer chooses to encourage the friend to come forward and to report the situation to the supervising physician if they refuse. Its main reason is that patient safety and proper care take precedence over protecting a friendship.
6. What next (20 seconds). The answer follows through by involving the supervising physician if needed and documenting observations objectively, focusing on medical facts rather than personal judgments. It also encourages the friend to seek appropriate support and learn from the mistake.

Example answer from Confetto

Example answer from Confetto. Not a real applicant's answer.

This situation deeply troubles me as it puts me at the intersection of professional duty and personal loyalty. My immediate concern would be for the patient's wellbeing and safety, as any medical error could have serious consequences for their health. While I care about my friend, my primary obligation is to ensure proper patient care and maintain the integrity of the medical profession.

I would first approach my friend privately to understand the situation fully and express my concerns. I believe having an honest conversation about what happened and why they chose to cover it up would be crucial. I'd remind them that medical errors, while serious, are often less damaging than their concealment, and that being transparent allows for proper correction and prevention of potential complications. I'd emphasize that coming forward voluntarily typically leads to better outcomes than having the error discovered later.

If my friend refuses to report the error, I would feel ethically obligated to report the situation to our supervising physician. This would be incredibly difficult for me personally, but I recognize that patient safety must take precedence over friendship. I would document my observations and concerns objectively, focusing on the medical facts rather than personal judgments.

Throughout this process, I would maintain professional composure while showing empathy for both the patient and my friend. I understand that medical errors can be traumatic for healthcare providers too, and fear of consequences often drives cover-ups. I would encourage my friend to seek support through appropriate channels and remind them that acknowledging and learning from mistakes is an essential part of becoming a better physician. The experience would likely strain our friendship, but I believe upholding medical ethics and patient safety is paramount in our profession.

Use it for its structure. Interviewers can tell a memorized script, so tell your own story.

Keep going

• Is it ethical for doctors to strike? If so, under what conditions?
• Some argue that physicians, given their position in society, have a duty to be role models for healthy living. Do you agree or disagree?
• You witness a fellow resident making derogatory remarks about patients from a particular socioeconomic background. How do you address this unprofessional behavior?
• Medical school interview questions by type
• The full interview question bank