现代美国医学伦理学的四大支柱是病人的自决权（Self Determination），不伤害病人（Do Not Harm），医疗的公正性（Justice），和医生的职业操守（Professional Integrity）。这“四项基本原则”引导着美国医生来处理各种棘手的没有标准答案的错综复杂的临床医学伦理学问题。以下是一些最常见的美国医生医学伦理学问题和美国医生在被调查时作出的回答的统计资料。
Would you ever give life sustaining therapy if you believed it to be futile? (Yes: 35%, No: 24%, It depends: 41%)
如果你认为只能维持生命体征的疗法不能挽救病人时，你还会为病人施行这些疗法吗？（35%的美国医生说会，24%的美国医生说不会，41%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Would you ever devote scarce or costly resources to a younger patient rather than to one who was older but not facing imminent death? (Yes: 27%, No: 39%, It depends: 25%)
Would you ever devote scarce or costly resources to a younger patient rather than to one who was older but not facing imminent death? (Yes: 27%, No: 39%, It depends: 25%)
在面临选择时，你会将可贵的医疗资源全力以赴地来拯救年青病人而不是奄奄一息有生命危险的老年病人？（27%的美国医生说会，39%的美国医生说不会，41%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Should physician-assisted suicides be allowed in some situations? (Yes: 47%, No: 40%, It depends: 13%)
Should physician-assisted suicides be allowed in some situations? (Yes: 47%, No: 40%, It depends: 13%)
在某些情况下，你可以容许医生协助下的自杀行为吗？（47%的美国医生说会，40%的美国医生说不会，13%%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Would you ever dismiss a patient who is ‘non-adherent’ or who ‘overuses’ resources on their capitation plans? (Yes: 32%, No: 33%, It depends: 35%)
Would you ever dismiss a patient who is ‘non-adherent’ or who ‘overuses’ resources on their capitation plans? (Yes: 32%, No: 33%, It depends: 35%)
当病人不跟从医生的医疗计划或过度使用医疗资源时，你会放弃他们吗？(32%的美国医生说会，33%的美国医生说不会，35%%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Is it right to provide intensive care to a newborn who will either die soon or survive but have an objectively terrible quality of life? (Yes: 34%, No: 27%, It depends: 39%)
Is it right to provide intensive care to a newborn who will either die soon or survive but have an objectively terrible quality of life? (Yes: 34%, No: 27%, It depends: 39%)
你会对一个即将死亡或救活后会有严重后遗症的新生儿施行重症监护疗法吗？(34%的美国医生说会，27%的美国医生说不会，39%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Would you ever continue treating a patient-despite a family’s wishes to end treatment-if you felt the patient had a chance to recover? (Yes: 23%, No: 32%, It depends: 45%)
Would you ever continue treating a patient-despite a family’s wishes to end treatment-if you felt the patient had a chance to recover? (Yes: 23%, No: 32%, It depends: 45%)
你认为病人还有生还的机会，但家属要求停止治疗，你会继续治疗吗？(23%的美国医生说会，32%的美国医生说不会，45%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Would you perform an abortion in certain situations, even if it were against your own beliefs? (Yes: 51%, No: 36%, It depends: 13%)
虽然你本人是反对人工流产的，但在某些特殊情况下，你会为病人做人流吗？(51%的美国医生说会，36%的美国医生说不会，13%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
Would you perform an abortion in certain situations, even if it were against your own beliefs? (Yes: 51%, No: 36%, It depends: 13%)
虽然你本人是反对人工流产的，但在某些特殊情况下，你会为病人做人流吗？(51%的美国医生说会，36%的美国医生说不会，13%的美国医生说会根据具体情况而定。）
