Book excerpt: The existing literature in medical ethics does not serve the practical needs of medical students and trainees very well, as the dilemmas posed are generally beyond their direct control, and being a student or junior doctor brings its own set of ethical concerns. The editors have addressed this need by compiling a series of case studies from around the world and inviting an international team of leading ethicists and clinicians to comment on them. Over 80 actual cases cover the range of possible problems a medical trainee may encounter on the ward, from drug and alcohol abuse, whistleblowing and improper sexual conduct to performing procedures, handling authority, disclosure, blaming, personal responses to patients, and misrepresentation of research. The book will be an essential guide on how to cope with the ethical dilemmas of those embarking on medical careers.