A friend who has skipped classes recently is inviting you to visit. Which approach is best?

A friend who has skipped classes recently is inviting you to visit. Which approach is best?

• A. Lecture him about attendance and consequences.
• B. Act like you normally came to hang out and then ask what's up if he's stressed. Give a listening ear.
• C. Start a tense conversation with 'we need to talk.'
• D. Report him to the medical school administration.

Answer: (B)

This tests how to handle a conversation with a friend who is going through a tough time by using empathy and nonjudgmental listening. The best approach is to treat the visit as a chance to reconnect rather than to lecture or confront. By coming as you normally would to hang out and then gently asking what’s going on if they seem stressed, you create a safe space for them to open up. This shows you care, helps reduce defensiveness, and invites them to share underlying stress, burnout, or other concerns at their own pace. Demonstrating active listening—giving them space, reflecting what you hear, and offering support only if they want it—helps you understand how to help and strengthens trust. Lecturing about attendance tends to push them away, because it focuses on judging behavior rather than listening to their feelings. Starting a tense “we need to talk” moment signals confrontation and can escalate anxiety rather than encourage openness. Reporting them to the administration breaches trust and treats the situation as a policy issue rather than a personal one, which can damage the friendship and reduce their willingness to seek help in the future.

This tests how to handle a conversation with a friend who is going through a tough time by using empathy and nonjudgmental listening. The best approach is to treat the visit as a chance to reconnect rather than to lecture or confront. By coming as you normally would to hang out and then gently asking what’s going on if they seem stressed, you create a safe space for them to open up. This shows you care, helps reduce defensiveness, and invites them to share underlying stress, burnout, or other concerns at their own pace. Demonstrating active listening—giving them space, reflecting what you hear, and offering support only if they want it—helps you understand how to help and strengthens trust.

Lecturing about attendance tends to push them away, because it focuses on judging behavior rather than listening to their feelings. Starting a tense “we need to talk” moment signals confrontation and can escalate anxiety rather than encourage openness. Reporting them to the administration breaches trust and treats the situation as a policy issue rather than a personal one, which can damage the friendship and reduce their willingness to seek help in the future.