[Complaint to the disciplinary board about a resident]

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Professional Regulation

Background:

• Patient complaints filed with disciplinary boards pose significant challenges for medical residents.
• The process can negatively affect residents' job satisfaction and self-esteem, particularly during training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the process and outcomes of patient complaints against internal medicine residents.
• To emphasize the importance of moral support for residents undergoing disciplinary procedures.
• To provide recommendations for residents and supervisors on handling disciplinary board complaints.

Main Methods:

• Case study analysis of two complaints filed with the Dutch Medical Disciplinary Board.
• Involvement of supervisors and teachers in the complaint resolution process.

Main Results:

• One of the two complaints was dropped following active involvement of the supervisor and teacher.
• Highlighting the critical role of moral support in mitigating the negative impact on residents.

Conclusions:

• Adequate support systems are essential for residents facing disciplinary actions.
• Clear guidelines for engagement between residents, supervisors, and disciplinary boards are recommended.
• Implementing routine 'error-meetings' can foster an open environment for error disclosure and procedural understanding.