I30-96

Question

Ethics professor: A physician should avoid operating on close relatives, such as their own children, because emotional involvement may impair the objectivity required for critical medical decisions. While exceptions may exist in emergencies, the underlying concern is that personal attachment could lead to biased judgment and compromise the standard of care.
 
Thus, the rule against operating on close relatives is __(1)__ to ensure that medical care remains __(2)__.
 
Select for  (1)  and  (2)  the terms that would, if inserted in the sentence, create the most accurate statement based on the information provided. Make only two selections, one in each column.

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Blank (1):  The professor explains that emotional attachment can impair a physician’s judgment, and that the rule exists to prevent such bias. This shows that the rule is essential for maintaining professional impartiality. Therefore, the correct choice is  necessary .
 
Other options for Blank (1):
 
•  Unjustified  contradicts the professor’s reasoning, which clearly supports the rule. 
 
•  Objective  While grammatically valid, it is illogical in context. The sentence is explaining  why  the rule exists — its justification — not describing the nature of the rule itself. Calling the rule “objective” misinterprets its function; the rule is not being described as neutral, it is being presented as  a means to protect  objectivity in care.
 
•  Beneficial  may seem acceptable, but it is too weak, as the professor frames the rule as essential. 
 
•  Flexible  reflects the emergency exception but fails to capture the strength of the general principle being defended.
 
 Blank (2):  The professor emphasizes that the rule is meant to prevent emotional interference and ensure fair, unbiased clinical decisions. The word that best captures this is  objective .
 
Other options for Blank (2):
 
•  Unjustified  does not describe the quality of care. 
 
•  Necessary  does not logically fit the structure of the sentence. 
 
•  Beneficial  is too general. 
 
•  Flexible  does not relate to the specific type of care the rule is designed to protect.

Correct answer:

(1)  "necessary"

(2)  "objective"

Vineetha30 · Answer

I don’t quite agree with the solution. Beneficial can be too general but not incorrect right?

Bunuel · Answer

"Beneficial" is incorrect for the second blank because the professor says the rule exists to prevent emotional involvement from impairing objectivity. The goal is to ensure that medical care remains objective. "Beneficial" is too vague and does not reflect the specific quality being protected. "Objective" is the only choice that directly matches the intent of the passage, even if "beneficial" technically also fits, "objective" is the better choice.

Nipunh · Answer

I did not quite understand the solution. Ethics professor: A physician should avoid operating on close relatives, such as their own children, because emotional involvement may impair the objectivity required for critical medical decisions. While exceptions may exist in emergencies, the underlying concern is that personal attachment could lead to biased judgment and compromise the standard of care.

Thus, the rule against operating on close relatives is BENEFICIAL to ensure that medical care remains OBJECTIVE.

I am unable to see how the first blank is necessary; the professor does indicate it's important but doesn't really show it is necessary; moreover, it does indicate that it may or may not be useful ("it may impair the objectivity required for critical medical decisions")...and "While exceptions may exist in emergencies" shows that "necessary" might be too strong here...

Bunuel · Answer

The professor says that emotional involvement  may impair  objectivity and that this risk is the reason for the rule. The concern is that without the rule, the standard of care could be compromised. That frames the rule as something essential to protecting impartiality in medical decisions. The mention of emergency exceptions does not weaken that point, it only acknowledges that rare cases exist where the rule cannot be applied.

So while “beneficial” suggests the rule is merely helpful, the professor’s reasoning shows it is stronger than that. The logic supports the idea that the rule is “necessary” to ensure medical care remains “objective.”

I30-96

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards