A physician who allows a third party to observe a surgical procedure without the consent of the patient Is guilty of which of the following?

Defamation involves making false statements about a person that harm their reputation. In this scenario, the physician's actions do not involve any false statements or actions that would damage the patient's character. Thus, defamation is irrelevant to the situation of unauthorized observation.

Duress refers to a situation where an individual is forced to act against their will, typically under threat. In this case, the issue is not about coercion but rather about the lack of consent to allow observation. Therefore, duress does not apply here.

While this option suggests a breach of confidentiality, it implies a more intentional act of revealing sensitive information rather than simply allowing observation. The focus here is on privacy rights rather than the disclosure of professional secrets, making this choice inaccurate.

Negligence involves failing to provide the standard of care that a reasonably competent professional would in similar circumstances. Although allowing unauthorized observers may be negligent, the more specific legal violation in this context is the invasion of privacy, which directly addresses the core issue.