Working with Peers — Handling Disagreements About Patient Care

Disagreements between peers — fellow medical students, foundation doctors at the same level, or colleagues of equal seniority — are a common SJT theme. Unlike scenarios involving seniors, peer disagreements do not have a clear hierarchy to resolve them. Instead, the SJT tests your ability to communicate, collaborate, and prioritise the patient.

This lesson covers how to handle peer disagreements professionally, including when to compromise, when to stand firm, and when to involve someone more senior.

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Why Peer Disagreements Appear in the SJT

Peer disagreements test a different set of skills from hierarchical scenarios:

Skill tested	Why it matters
Communication	Can you express your view clearly without being aggressive?
Collaboration	Can you work with someone who disagrees with you?
Prioritisation	Can you put the patient's needs above your ego?
Conflict resolution	Can you resolve the disagreement constructively?
Escalation judgement	Do you know when to involve someone more senior?

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Types of Peer Disagreements in the SJT

1. Disagreement About Clinical Management