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This is one of the most frequently tested SJT themes. The scenarios test your ability to balance supporting a struggling colleague with ensuring patient safety and fair workload distribution. Getting the balance right requires assertive communication, empathy, and good judgement about when to escalate.
This lesson works through detailed scenarios with full analysis of each option.
Before working through scenarios, internalise these principles:
| Principle | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Support first, then escalate | The SJT values colleagues who try to help before reporting |
| Cover ≠ Support | Doing someone else's work for them hides the problem; helping them do their work addresses it |
| Private first | Speak to the colleague privately before involving others |
| Patient safety is non-negotiable | If the colleague's underperformance puts patients at risk, you must act regardless of the relationship |
| Consider the cause | The colleague may be struggling with personal issues, health problems, or burnout — the SJT values empathy |
You are a third-year medical student. Your study group has been assigned a presentation on diabetic ketoacidosis, worth 20% of the module grade. The group has five members. One member, Alex, has missed the last three meetings and has not responded to messages. The presentation is in five days.
| Option | Rating | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| A: Do Alex's share of the work yourself to ensure the presentation is good | Inappropriate | This covers for Alex without addressing the problem. It is unfair to you and the group, and it hides Alex's disengagement |
| B: Send an angry message to the group chat criticising Alex | Inappropriate | Public shaming is aggressive and unprofessional. It may make the situation worse and damages the relationship |
| C: Contact Alex privately to ask if they are OK and discuss how to catch up | Very appropriate | This is the correct first step — assertive, empathetic, and private. It addresses the problem directly while showing concern for Alex |
| D: Report Alex to the module lead immediately | Inappropriate, but not awful | While this is a legitimate concern, you have not yet tried to resolve it directly. Escalation before direct communication is over-escalation |
The SJT rewards the candidate who:
If Alex responds and re-engages: redistribute the work fairly and move on.
If Alex does not respond or refuses to engage: now escalation is appropriate. Contact the module lead, explain that you have tried to resolve it directly, and ask for guidance.
You are an FY1 on a busy medical ward. Your colleague, Dr Patel (also an FY1), has been arriving 30-45 minutes late for the last two weeks. You and the other FY1 have been covering the morning tasks, which means patients are waiting longer for reviews and you are falling behind on your own work.
| Option | Rating | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| A: Say nothing because it is not your place to comment on a colleague's timekeeping | Inappropriate | The lateness is affecting patient care and your workload. Staying silent allows the problem to continue |
| B: Speak to Dr Patel privately and ask if everything is OK, explaining the impact of their lateness on the team and patients | Very appropriate | Direct, private, empathetic, and focused on the impact rather than blame |
| C: Complain to the other FY1 about Dr Patel but do not speak to Dr Patel directly | Inappropriate | This is gossip, not resolution. It damages trust and does not solve the problem |
| D: Send an email to the clinical supervisor detailing every instance of Dr Patel's lateness | Inappropriate, but not awful | Escalation without first speaking to Dr Patel is premature. However, if direct communication fails, this becomes appropriate |
A good conversation with Dr Patel might go:
"I wanted to talk to you about something. I have noticed you have been arriving later than usual recently, and I wanted to check if everything is OK. I mention it because when the morning tasks are not shared equally, it means patients wait longer for their reviews and the rest of us fall behind. Is there anything going on that we can help with?"
This approach:
You are on a surgical placement with another medical student, Jordan. You notice that Jordan spends most of the time on their phone, does not engage with patients, and leaves the ward early. You are doing all the learning activities alone, and the surgical team has started asking where Jordan is.
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