#70 - THE WEEKLY USMLE TIMES
Highlights for the week of April 8, 2024
Welcome to this week’s issue of The USMLE Times… A special welcome to the 55 new members who have joined our community this week.
Here’s what’s on tap for issue #70 of the USMLE Times:
Question of the Week
Video/audio lessons of the week
Tweet of the week
This week’s training links
Question deep-dive & breakdown
Let’s dive in!
A 72-year-old female with a history of osteoarthritis and hypertension presents to the clinic for a preoperative evaluation. She is scheduled to undergo a total knee arthroplasty for severe osteoarthritis in her left knee in three weeks. She has never had surgery before and is seeking further information about the procedure. Her blood pressure is 145/90 mmHg, heart rate is 68/minute, and respiratory rate is 18/minute. Physical examination reveals a limited range of motion and crepitus in the left knee. Laboratory studies show a normal complete blood count, metabolic panel, and coagulation profile. The orthopedic surgeon discusses the surgery's risks, benefits, and alternatives with the patient. Which of the following is a necessary component of a valid informed consent process in this case?
A. The surgeon should include medical jargon to accurately convey the risks of surgery.
B. The patient must sign the consent form in the presence of a notary public.
C. The surgeon must provide a written summary of the discussion to the patient.
D. The patient must have decision-making capacity and be provided with sufficient information about the procedure.
E. The patient's primary care physician must also consent to the surgery.
The answer & question breakdown is at the bottom of the post.
📺 WATCH
🎧 WATCH/LISTEN
💬 TWEET FOR THOUGHT
Click HERE To Follow Us On Twitter/X
🔗 LINKS TO THIS WEEK’S TRAINING
April 8 - Biochemistry Drill Session - CLICK HERE
April 9 - Step 1 Psychiatry Question - CLICK HERE
April 10 - Step 1 Pulmonology Question - CLICK HERE
April 11 - Ask Dr. Paul (How to learn when reviewing questions) - CLICK HERE
ANSWER + QUESTION BREAKDOWN
For a valid informed consent process, particularly in a medical procedure like total knee arthroplasty, the key elements include ensuring the patient has decision-making capacity and is provided with adequate information to make an informed decision. This encompasses a thorough understanding of the procedure's risks, benefits, and alternatives in clear and comprehensible language to the patient, without the unnecessary use of complex medical jargon.
ANSWER CHOICES:
ANSWER CHOICE A: The surgeon should include medical jargon to accurately convey the risks of surgery.
Medical jargon is unnecessary and may hinder the patient's understanding of the provided information. It should be provided in plain language.
ANSWER CHOICE B: The patient must sign the consent form in the presence of a notary public.
There is generally no requirement for a notary public's presence while signing a medical consent form.
ANSWER CHOICE C: The surgeon must provide a written summary of the discussion to the patient.
Providing a written summary of the discussion can be a good practice, enhancing the patient's understanding and recall of the information, but it's not universally mandated for the consent to be considered valid.
ANSWER CHOICE D: The patient must have decision-making capacity and be provided with sufficient information about the procedure.
Patients must be able to make decisions regarding their care and be given sufficient information to make an informed choice about the procedure.
ANSWER CHOICE E: The patient's primary care physician must also consent to the surgery.
The consent of the patient's primary care physician is not a necessary component of the patient's informed consent for surgery. The decision to proceed with surgery lies with the patient (assuming they have decision-making capacity) after being adequately informed by the surgeon.
THE VERDICT: A valid informed consent process requires the patient to have decision-making capacity and be provided with sufficient information about the procedure, including risks, benefits, and alternatives. The surgeon should communicate this information effectively to facilitate the patient's understanding and autonomous decision-making.
FINAL ANSWER: D. The patient must have decision-making capacity and be provided with sufficient information about the procedure.
That’s all for issue #70 of The USMLE Times!
If you enjoyed it and found it helpful, please consider hitting that little heart button, telling me if you got the answer right in the comments, and sharing it with someone you know who would also benefit from it (use the little pink ‘share’ button below).
Thanks for tuning in!
If you’re struggling with med school or USMLE prep and need a helping hand, book a one-on-one session with me HERE.
