In order to properly evaluate a patient’s state of mind and

[paul.gmat]

In order to properly evaluate a patient’s state of mind and gain informed consent prior to surgery, a substantial period of time must be spent with the operating physician by the patient to become fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure.

-a substantial period of time must be spent with the operating physician by the patient to become fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure
- the operating physician and the patient must spend a substantial amount of time together, thus ensuring full awareness of the pros and cons of undergoing the surgical procedure
- the patient must spend a substantial amount of time with his or her operating physician, thus ensuring that he or she has been made fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing the surgical procedure
-the operating physician must spend a substantial amount of time with the patient, thus ensuring that the patient is fully aware of the pros and cons of accepting the undergoing procedure
- the operating physician must ensure that he or she is fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure by spending a substantial amount of time with the patient

MGMAT goes with D. I thought this was ok but then read " accepting the undergoing procedure ". Is that actually correct? I don't think so. Apart from that the sentence appears fine. I went with B despite the ambiguity about whose awareness hey are talking about.

Brief aside : does the GMAT ever give questions in which all options are flawed and you should select the least wrong one. I think in this question there is no right answer.

[StaceyKoprince]

On your last question, I can usually find at least one verbal question on any test (official included) to which I take exception and want to argue with whoever wrote the question. I feel that way about some questions in the official guide as well (including one that is just downright wrong - whoever wrote it doesn't know how the patent system in the US actually works!).

Er. I think someone accidentally edited D in the wrong way. I'll get that fixed. You're right - that last little bit is wrong. Thanks for the catch!

B is also wrong because the opening modifier specifically says that this person we're talking about will "GAIN informed consent prior to surgery." The physician, then, has to follow the comma, because the patient doesn't gain consent; the patient gives consent. (B has a compound subject, so the opening modifier would have to apply to both physician and patient.)

[vishalsahdev03]

I got D on this, whats the correct answer ?

[esledge]

I got D on this, whats the correct answer ?

D is the correct answer. FYI, this question was corrected in our database since this forum thread began. The current version is:

In order to properly evaluate a patient’s state of mind and gain informed consent prior to surgery, a substantial period of time must be spent with the operating physician by the patient to become fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure.

(A) a substantial period of time must be spent with the operating physician by the patient to become fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure
(B) the operating physician and the patient must spend a substantial amount of time together, thus ensuring full awareness of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure
(C) the patient must spend a substantial amount of time with his or her operating physician, thus ensuring that he or she has been made fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing the surgical procedure
(D) the operating physician must spend a substantial amount of time with the patient, thus ensuring that the patient is fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure
(E) the operating physician must ensure that he or she is fully aware of the pros and cons of undergoing a surgical procedure by spending a substantial amount of time with the patient

[vijay19839]

According to Ron in one of his classes, he explains that Initial modifier rule is applicable for the following categories:-

Initial Modifiers that must apply to the following subject:
1) Starting with ING (or with Preposition + ING)
2) Starting with Past Participle
3) Just a Noun + (Modifiers)
4) Adjective (+ Modifiers)
5) Like/Unlike
Example: Unlike Indian Food, Large quantities of spices are uncommon in Columbian food (Incorrect)

In this sentence, we don't have anything that suits this category. Can someone explain why do we need to apply Initial modifier for 'In Order to....Surgery'

Thanks
Vijay

[krishnan.anju1987]

According to Ron in one of his classes, he explains that Initial modifier rule is applicable for the following categories:-

Initial Modifiers that must apply to the following subject:
1) Starting with ING (or with Preposition + ING)
2) Starting with Past Participle
3) Just a Noun + (Modifiers)
4) Adjective (+ Modifiers)
5) Like/Unlike
Example: Unlike Indian Food, Large quantities of spices are uncommon in Columbian food (Incorrect)

In this sentence, we don't have anything that suits this category. Can someone explain why do we need to apply Initial modifier for 'In Order to....Surgery'

Thanks
Vijay

I think the reason why your statement "Unlike Indian Food, Large quantities of spices are uncommon in Columbian food (Incorrect)" is Incorrect is that the modifier Unlike Indian food modifies "Large quantities of spices" instead of modifying the columbian food. Its the Columbian food that is unlike Indian food. Similarly, in this example, the modifier modifies the surgeon. That is the reason some other options are wrong since they shift the focus to the patient surgeon relationship or the patient.

Think about it this way. If the statement instead was written as shown below

The operating physician must spend a substantial amount of time with the patient, in order to properly evaluate a patient’s state of mind and gain informed consent prior to surgery, thus ensuring that the patient is fully aware of the pros and cons of accepting the undergoing procedure.

This would make the "in order to part " non essential and also would put it very far from the subject. So instead here its written in the beginning of the sentence in order to bring in simplicity and avoid confusion.

This is my opinion. Would love to hear the MGMAT Staffs' take on this.

[jnelson0612]

Krishnan, I agree, and I also think that the GMAT would consider that sentence very wordy.