Medical students' attitudes toward sexual contact with patients and supervisors

We surveyed 297 medical students regarding their attitudes toward sexual relations between physicians and patients and between physician supervisors and junior colleagues. Significantly more female than male medical students would intervene in a situation involving sexual contact between a physician and a patient, and male students would intercede significantly more often in the circumstance of sexual contact between a colleague and physician supervisor. Four percent of the students considered it acceptable to have sexual relations with patients. Forty-two percent felt that sexual contact would be acceptable immediately after the professional relationship ended; 80% approved of sexual contact with ex-patients after two years. The responses of both sexes indicated a naive understanding of the unequal power dynamics inherent in these types of relationships. We recommend specific discussions with medical students about the dynamics of unequal relationships and sexual exploitation to help prepare them for some of the difficult ethical issues in medical training and practice.