RCSIsmj Ethics Prize

The RCSIsmj Ethics Essay Prize is a new feature of the 2009/2010
edition of the journal. We are inviting all students to submit an essay
discussing the ethical questions raised in the case study presented
here. Medical ethics is an essential aspect of the medical curriculum
and we hope to encourage RCSI students to think critically about
ethical situations that arise during their education and their careers
in healthcare.
All essays will be reviewed by a faculty panel of experts, and the
winning essay will be published in the 2009/2010 print edition of
the RCSIsmj. This is the perfect opportunity to
get published and the only officially
guaranteed publication in the
RCSIsmj.

Good luck!

The case
You are a GP in a rural town. Richard, a 35-year-old patient,
presents with a dry cough, having recently returned from a fourmonth-
long business trip to Botswana. As he is about to leave the
room, he says: ‘By the way, I’m a bit concerned – I slept with a
woman while away, and I’m worried I might have picked up
something’.
You counsel him before taking blood for a HIV test. He returns a
week later and you have to advise him that the results show him to
be HIV positive. He is married with two children, and his wife is also
one of your patients. He is very upset when you raise the question
of discussing the results with his wife. He says: ‘No way! Our
marriage is in enough trouble as it is!’ They are not currently
sleeping together, although his wife has noticed that he’s been
trying to avoid any form of intimacy and wonders why.
He then threatens to sue you for breach of confidentiality if his HIV
status becomes known to his wife.

Submission guidelines
Your essay should include an introductory section that identifies the
key ethical questions raised in the case study. These questions
should then be addressed in a logical fashion underlining how you
might deal with this situation satisfactorily. Please also include a
section where you address weaknesses in your arguments.
Your paper should not exceed 2,500 words.
Please note that this should not be written as an opinion piece. It
will be expected that you discuss ethical issues academically, making
sure to reference where necessary.
Your essay will be evaluated on three major criteria:
1. Ability to identify the ethical issues raised by the case.
2. Fluency of your arguments (note that there is no penalty for
which side you discuss, just be sure to develop your arguments
in a clear and logical fashion).
3. Academic quality with regard to depth of research,
appropriateness of references and quality of sources.