Medical jurisprudence: standard of care: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Medical jurisprudence: standard of care

Sample item

In judging whether a doctor's treatment was negligent, which test do courts apply?

AThe outcome of the treatment aloneBThe Bolam test: acting in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical opinionCThe patient's own expectations of cureDThe best possible care that any specialist in the world could give

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. The Bolam test: acting in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical opinion

The Bolam test holds that a doctor is not negligent if the care was in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical practitioners skilled in that field, even if others disagree. Courts also consider whether the opinion is logical (Bolitho). A bad outcome alone does not prove negligence.

Option by option

A. The outcome of the treatment alone
Outcomes can be poor despite proper care, so outcome alone is not the test.
B. The Bolam test: acting in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical opinion (correct)
Correct. This is the Bolam standard used by courts.
C. The patient's own expectations of cure
Patient expectations do not define the standard of care.
D. The best possible care that any specialist in the world could give
The law does not require the highest possible skill but reasonable care expected of an ordinary skilled doctor.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, The Bolam test: acting in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical opinion. The Bolam test holds that a doctor is not negligent if the care was in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical practitioners skilled in that field, even if others disagree.

Why is "The outcome of the treatment alone" not the answer?

Outcomes can be poor despite proper care, so outcome alone is not the test.

Why is "The patient's own expectations of cure" not the answer?

Patient expectations do not define the standard of care.

Why is "The best possible care that any specialist in the world could give" not the answer?

The law does not require the highest possible skill but reasonable care expected of an ordinary skilled doctor.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical jurisprudence: standard of care in Forensic Medicine. Courts also consider whether the opinion is logical (Bolitho). A bad outcome alone does not prove negligence.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Medical jurisprudence: standard of care?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.