Worked Examples: Delivering Unwelcome News to a Colleague

Not all difficult conversations in healthcare involve patients. Some of the most challenging interactions are with colleagues — particularly when you need to raise a concern about their performance, behaviour, or wellbeing. The UCAT SJT regularly tests whether candidates can handle these interprofessional situations with professionalism, honesty, and sensitivity.

This lesson works through scenarios involving peer feedback, raising concerns, and navigating the tension between loyalty and professional duty.

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Why Interprofessional Communication Matters for SJT

The GMC's Good Medical Practice states that doctors must:

• Work collaboratively with colleagues
• Treat colleagues fairly and with respect
• Raise concerns if patient safety is at risk
• Be open and honest in professional interactions

In SJT, you are typically placed in the role of a medical student. This means you are junior to almost everyone. The SJT tests whether you understand:

• When to speak up despite being junior
• How to raise concerns appropriately
• The balance between loyalty to colleagues and duty to patients
• When and how to escalate

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Worked Example 1: A Fellow Medical Student Has Plagiarised