Students whose behaviour causes concern: The GMC’s view

doi:10.1136/bmj.a2876

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Joan Trowell, member

¹General Medical Council, London NW1 3JN

jtrowell{at}gmc-uk.org

What should you do when you see a fellow student behaving inappropriately? After a group of students wrote to the BMJ about their experience during an elective (doi:10.1136/bmj.a2874), we sought the opinions of an ethicist (doi:10.1136/bmj.a2882), a dean (doi:10.1136/bmj.a2884), a GMC representative, and a lecturer from an African university (doi:10.1136/bmj.a2875)

These authors have shown a good understanding of the ethical professional behaviour expected of both medical students and doctors. It takes great personal resolve to confront a colleague whose behaviour is cavalier and who deliberately puts patients at risk. These students, in difficult circumstances far from home, tackled the situation maturely and are right to seek mechanisms to communicate their concerns about the inappropriate behaviour of a fellow student.