[Event Recap] MSPA Clinical Skills Workshop 2026
On 13 August, our Centre Co‑Director, Dr. Ann Lau, was invited as a guest speaker at the Medical Students' Paediatrics Association (MSPA) Clinical Skills Workshop 2026. Dr. Lau delivered a talk titled Who Decides for the Child? Autonomy, Parental Protection, and the Best Interests of Minor Patients, leading secondary school and medical students through real‑life cases and interactive discussions in an in‑depth exploration of respect for autonomy vs. relational autonomy, protection, and the best interests of children in paediatric ethics.
Key takeaways:
▸ A distinct ethical framework
Drawing on real-life cases, Dr. Lau highlighted that paediatric ethics is grounded in a three-way relationship between the child, parents, and clinician. She also showed how the four pillars of medical ethics can sometimes conflict in complex situations, especially as a minor's capacity for decision-making develops and beneficence necessitates weighing the child's immediate and long-term interests.
▸ Relational autonomy and dynamic best interests
Through the discussion of complex ethical dilemmas, Dr. Lau demonstrated that decision-making is rarely formulaic. Rather, it is grounded in relational autonomy and involves balancing the child's evolving capacity, parental protection, and clinical expertise, with due consideration of both present and future consequences.
▸ Consent, assent, and the child's voice
By clarifying the distinction between legal consent and assent, Dr. Lau highlighted the importance of recognising and incorporating children's perspectives in healthcare decision-making. As she observed, "It is not about who decides, but how we decide together"—through a collaborative process that respects the child's voice, draws on parental trust, and upholds the clinician's integrity.
The CUHK Centre for Bioethics is committed to fostering ethical awareness among young people and connecting university resources with the wider community — by supporting student-led initiatives and delivering tailored workshops. In this workshop, Dr. Lau guided participants through real-life cases and interactive discussion, helping them see that ethics is not about a single right answer, but about weighing and deciding in complex situations. We will continue making bioethics accessible, interactive, and grounded in practice.