If you give medical advice to a friend in exchange for accounting services, what type of relationship do you now have?

When medical advice is given in exchange for services, such as accounting, a patient/practitioner relationship is established. This is because the act of providing medical advice indicates a responsibility toward the individual's health and well-being, creating a dynamic where the person giving the advice assumes the role of a practitioner, and the individual receiving the advice takes on the role of a patient. In this context, the practitioner is expected to uphold certain standards of care and professionalism.

This type of relationship is distinct from a simple friendship or a professional service exchange without the medical component. Unlike a friend/friend relationship, where personal interactions are based solely on mutual affection and support, the patient/practitioner relationship carries with it legal and ethical obligations regarding privacy, consent, and the duty of care that must be adhered to by the practitioner. Therefore, since medical advice is part of the transaction, it firmly establishes that more than just a friendship is involved, making the patient/practitioner relationship the most accurate designation for this scenario.