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Sexual Harassment during Residency Training: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
The American Surgeon
|February 21, 2020
Summary
Sexual harassment is prevalent among medical residents, with women disproportionately affected. Most trainees do not report harassment due to lack of awareness of support systems and fear of repercussions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Sexual harassment is a significant issue affecting medical trainees.
- Residents in Gastroenterology (GI), Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics are particularly vulnerable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of sexual harassment among medical residents.
- To identify reasons why victims do not report sexual harassment.
- To assess awareness of institutional support systems for victims.
Main Methods:
- A modified Department of Defense survey on sexual harassment was distributed.
- The survey was emailed to program directors of GI, Internal Medicine, and Pediatric residency programs.
- 381 residents responded to the survey.
Main Results:
- Female residents experienced sexual harassment more frequently than males (83% vs. 44%).
- Offensive jokes and comments were the most common forms of harassment.
- A high percentage of residents (87% females, 93% males) were unlikely to report offenders.
- Awareness of institutional support for victims was low (43%).
Conclusions:
- Sexual harassment remains a persistent problem in medical training.
- Underutilization of reporting avenues is linked to low awareness of support systems.
- Further research is needed to develop interventions that encourage reporting and improve institutional support for victims.