Lies students tell
CMAJ 1997;156:1266
See response by: T.A. Young
I found the article "Teaching medical students to lie" (CMAJ 1997;156:219-22 [full text / en bref]) quite amusing. Young describes a moral dilemma faced by many students during interviews for residency positions: be honest, or lie to get ahead. I can assure her that this will not be the last nor even close to the greatest strain on moral integrity that these young physicians will encounter. Yet many do indeed fail this minor test of integrity by choosing to lie. They then justify their lack of integrity by saying that everybody is doing it and that the end justifies the means, since being truthful may be very costly.
In keeping with current trends in ethics, rather than laying the blame with those who tell the lies, Young accepts their justification and then provides an even better excuse. She asserts that the process has taught these students to lie. This presupposes that these talented students arrived at medical school unable to lie and with their integrity intact. Then, without a lecture, seminar or lab on the subject, these clever men and women were finally taught to lie. If only we could teach physiology or pharmacology as efficiently!
I suspect that medical students actually learn mendacity during their childhood like everyone else. Later, like everyone else, some will learn to stop lying and acquire integrity. Many do not. It should be apparent to Young and her mentors that the residency match does not teach students to lie. It simply identifies those who do.
Mark A. Healey, MD
Department of Surgery
Royal University Hospital
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Sask.
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