Commentary on "Patients as 'subjects' or 'objects'

Abstract

I believe that the main policies that should be stressed in situations involving trainees in patient care are: 1) there must be good supervision of the trainees; and 2) there must be openness in responding to patient questions as to what parts of a procedure will be done by trainees and how experienced the trainees may be. I do not agree with the authors that every part of every procedure or overall treatment conducted by residents or interns needs to be described to every patient and that patients' permission must be sought for each arrangement.