Want to test your ethics knowledge before the CMA exam? Below are free sample flashcards from the 10-card ethics section of our 1050-card CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) deck, which covers DPOA, Living Will, Durable Power and more.
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A patient refuses a life-saving blood transfusion due to religious beliefs. The MA believes the patient is making a mistake and tries to persuade them otherwise. Which ethical principle is the MA failing to prioritize?
Show answer →Autonomy. This principle recognizes the right of competent individuals to make their own healthcare decisions without coercion. Rationale: Even if a decision seems dangerous or irrational to others, providers must honor it if the patient is competent. AAMA Tip: Do not confuse this with Beneficence (acting in the patient's best interest). Respecting a competent refusal is both a legal and ethical priority in modern medicine.
A physician explains a surgical procedure to a patient, but the patient asks the MA for more details on specific risks before signing the form. What is the most ethically appropriate action for the MA?
Show answer →Facilitate further discussion between the physician and patient. Rationale: Informed consent requires the provider performing the procedure to explain risks, benefits, and alternatives. The MA's role is typically to witness the signature and verify the patient's identity, not to provide the initial clinical explanation. AAMA Exam Strategy: MAs should never provide the primary explanation for informed consent; they should refer technical or risk-related questions back to the provider.
A patient asks the MA, \Do I have cancer?\ after seeing a positive pathology report on the desk. The physician has not yet spoken to the patient. Which ethical principle is at stake?
Show answer →Veracity (Truth-telling) vs. Scope of Practice. Rationale: While Veracity is the duty to be honest, the MA must also respect the professional scope of practice. The MA should not deliver a diagnosis but should facilitate the physician's communication. Recommended response: \The doctor will be in shortly to review all your results with you in detail.\ AAMA Tip: Veracity is about honesty, but CMA questions often test how that honesty is balanced with the MA's role as a non-diagnostic professional.
A patient presents a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) for Healthcare. If the patient becomes incapacitated, who has the final authority to make medical decisions?
Show answer →The Healthcare Proxy (Agent) named in the DPOA. Rationale: While a Living Will outlines specific wishes (e.g., no intubation), the Healthcare Proxy is the person legally designated to make real-time decisions when the patient cannot. The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) requires facilities to inform patients of these rights. Key Distinction: A Living Will is a document; a DPOA designates a person. The proxy has the legal authority to interpret the patient's wishes.
During a severe medication shortage, a clinic must decide which patients receive the limited supply. This decision-making process is governed by which bioethical principle?
Show answer →Distributive Justice. Rationale: This principle deals with the fair and equitable distribution of limited healthcare resources. Decisions are often based on clinical need, equity, and potential for benefit. Bioethical Challenge: It requires balancing the needs of the individual against the needs of the population. AAMA Focus: Justice in bioethics isn't just about following the law; it's about the \fair share\ of benefits and burdens in society.
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Try 30 free CMA cards firstThe full CMA deck contains 1050 flashcards, and 10 of them focus on ethics. This page shows 5 free samples.
Our CMA deck dedicates 10 of 1050 cards (1%) to ethics — always cross-check the official AAMA exam outline for the current blueprint weighting.
Yes — the samples on this page are free, and the CMA preview page has 30 more free cards. Full access to all 1050 cards is a one-time $7.
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