Mentors need help to tackle bullying students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Mentorship Dynamics
• Student Professionalism

Background:

• Mentor misconduct towards students is a recognized issue.
• Student-to-mentor misconduct is less understood but emerging.
• Negative interactions can impact the learning environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate student misconduct towards mentors.
• To identify specific behaviors students exhibit.
• To explore the context of these interactions, particularly performance feedback.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of reported incidents.
• Exploration of student motivations and behaviors.
• Case study approach focusing on specific interactions.

Main Results:

• Students can engage in negative behaviors towards mentors.
• This behavior is more prevalent when students receive critical performance feedback.
• Manipulative behaviors, such as coercion, were observed in some cases.

Conclusions:

• Student misconduct towards mentors is a significant concern.
• The findings highlight the need for bidirectional professionalism training.
• Addressing student-to-mentor misconduct is crucial for maintaining healthy educational relationships.