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Studying medicine/being a doctor if you're against abortion?
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Out of curiosity, would being opposed to abortion negatively affect an individual's application to/time at medical school? Would it impact upon one's medical career? What would happen if a medical student wanted to become a GP but was against abortion? Do they have a legal obligation to facilitate abortions in these circumstances? Do any prospective/current medical students/doctors have such views?
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#2
If you told the GMC your views, you would be burned at the stake because Doctors are not allowed to have opinions on anything -- especially controversial topics.
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#3
Hmm. I've always thought that really, if a doctor had a problem with abortions, then they should be legally obliged to refer you to a doctor who is not opposed to them. I have no idea how it would reflect in the medical community - but you do realise that GPs do not perform abortions, right?
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(Original post by Occams Chainsaw)
If you told the GMC your views, you would be burned at the stake because Doctors are not allowed to have opinions on anything -- especially controversial topics.
If you told the GMC your views, you would be burned at the stake because Doctors are not allowed to have opinions on anything -- especially controversial topics.
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(Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons)
Hmm. I've always thought that really, if a doctor had a problem with abortions, then they should be legally obliged to refer you to a doctor who is not opposed to them. I have no idea how it would reflect in the medical community - but you do realise that GPs do not perform abortions, right?
Hmm. I've always thought that really, if a doctor had a problem with abortions, then they should be legally obliged to refer you to a doctor who is not opposed to them. I have no idea how it would reflect in the medical community - but you do realise that GPs do not perform abortions, right?
What you stated is exactly what I am asking about - is there some form of protocol for, e.g. GPs who are opposed to abortions, such as referring a patient to another GP who does not hold these views? Or is the GP required to facilitate the abortion?
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#6
(Original post by la95)
Out of curiosity, would being opposed to abortion negatively affect an individual's application to/time at medical school?
Out of curiosity, would being opposed to abortion negatively affect an individual's application to/time at medical school?
(Original post by la95)
Would it impact upon one's medical career?
Would it impact upon one's medical career?
(Original post by la95)
What would happen if a medical student wanted to become a GP but was against abortion?
Do they have a legal obligation to facilitate abortions in these circumstances?
What would happen if a medical student wanted to become a GP but was against abortion?
Do they have a legal obligation to facilitate abortions in these circumstances?
(Original post by la95)
Do any prospective/current medical students/doctors have such views?
Do any prospective/current medical students/doctors have such views?
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#7
(Original post by la95)
Yes, I am fully aware of that.
What you stated is exactly what I am asking about - is there some form of protocol for, e.g. GPs who are opposed to abortions, such as referring a patient to another GP who does not hold these views? Or is the GP required to facilitate the abortion?
Yes, I am fully aware of that.
What you stated is exactly what I am asking about - is there some form of protocol for, e.g. GPs who are opposed to abortions, such as referring a patient to another GP who does not hold these views? Or is the GP required to facilitate the abortion?
"The law states that a doctor can decline to certify a woman for an abortion if they have a moral objection to abortion. If this is the case, they must recommend another doctor who is willing to help."
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(Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons)
From the NHS:
"The law states that a doctor can decline to certify a woman for an abortion if they have a moral objection to abortion. If this is the case, they must recommend another doctor who is willing to help."
From the NHS:
"The law states that a doctor can decline to certify a woman for an abortion if they have a moral objection to abortion. If this is the case, they must recommend another doctor who is willing to help."
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#9
I'm a current medical student who's (in normal pregnancies) against abortion. It never came up during my application (and speaking to one of my supervisors since I now know that he never raises it in interview as it's too big an issue), but I was prepared to defend my opinion. The current guidelines in England are that doctors are allowed to effectively wash their hands of a patient if they object to abortion, but they have to pass them on to somebody who doesn't. I don't really plan on getting myself into that situation though - I don't plan on working in GP or in any speciality in which I would perform abortions.
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#10
(Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons)
From the NHS:
"The law states that a doctor can decline to certify a woman for an abortion if they have a moral objection to abortion. If this is the case, they must recommend another doctor who is willing to help."
From the NHS:
"The law states that a doctor can decline to certify a woman for an abortion if they have a moral objection to abortion. If this is the case, they must recommend another doctor who is willing to help."
Hello by the way! I still waiting on you to comment on my Eploring Islam Pert 2 thread!
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#11
(Original post by Jacob :))
Isn't it true a doctor can refuse any treatment they have a moral problem with as long as they refer the patient on?
Hello by the way! I still waiting on you to comment on my Eploring Islam Pert 2 thread!
Isn't it true a doctor can refuse any treatment they have a moral problem with as long as they refer the patient on?
Hello by the way! I still waiting on you to comment on my Eploring Islam Pert 2 thread!
"The law states that a doctor can decline to certify a woman for an abortion if they have a moral objection to abortion. If this is the case, they must recommend another doctor who is willing to help."
I'm sorry! I haven't received my damn Quran yet.
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#12
(Original post by la95)
Thank you, ChocoCoatedLemons, this is precisely what I wanted to find out about.
Thank you, ChocoCoatedLemons, this is precisely what I wanted to find out about.
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#13
(Original post by Jacob :))
Isn't it true a doctor can refuse any treatment they have a moral problem with as long as they refer the patient on?
Hello by the way! I still waiting on you to comment on my Eploring Islam Pert 2 thread!
Isn't it true a doctor can refuse any treatment they have a moral problem with as long as they refer the patient on?
Hello by the way! I still waiting on you to comment on my Eploring Islam Pert 2 thread!
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#14
I was an FY2 in a GP practice where myself and all the GPs each had our own reasons (different in every case for each of us) as to why we didn't want to sign abortion forms. It wasn't a problem, and we referred them on to the local service each time. Your own views on abortion shouldn't need to come up at interview unless you bring it up. At medical school / as a doctor, there is remit within law for doctors to conscientiously object, and you don't have to justify yourself either. Ie. you don't have to have a religious or other well-defined reason to object, it could simply be that personally it doesn't feel right to you. This law is specifically for abortions and does not cover anything else in medicine. However I would be interested to see what happens in the future regarding conscientious objection clauses if euthanasia / physician assisted suicide start to become more of a possibility / probability. Abortion and surrounding dilemmas are mostly restricted to GP and O&G, whereas realistically euthanasia / PAS transcends pretty much all specialties.
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#15
(Original post by la95)
But surely abortion is relevant to medicine rather than being an opinion on, for example, the validity of religious beliefs? What I am essentially asking is, would a doctor be required to facilitate abortions if he/she did not wish to for whatever reason?
But surely abortion is relevant to medicine rather than being an opinion on, for example, the validity of religious beliefs? What I am essentially asking is, would a doctor be required to facilitate abortions if he/she did not wish to for whatever reason?
You very much do have to facilitate abortions yes: By referring to someone else. You don't have to do them, or even sign the form, but "facilitate" yes.
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#16
I believe the law states that you can conscientiously object under section 4 of the 1967 Abortion act, you don't have to carry out an active role, however you do have to refer the patients onwards.
There are some exceptions to this however; in cases of 1(1)b and 1(1)c of the same act where the mothers life is in grave danger or faces permenant injury - you must take action i.e) take an active role in signing abortion documentation i believe.
There are some exceptions to this however; in cases of 1(1)b and 1(1)c of the same act where the mothers life is in grave danger or faces permenant injury - you must take action i.e) take an active role in signing abortion documentation i believe.
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#17
Bumping an old thread.
I think you would change your mind as a doctor if you had involvement with women/families that wanted to abort.
I think you would change your mind as a doctor if you had involvement with women/families that wanted to abort.
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