Interdisciplinary Healthcare Students' Experiences of Intimidation, Harassment, and Discrimination During Training

Healthcare professionals are trained on cultural competence and the treatment of patients with respect. Little research exists to examine intimidation, harassment, and discrimination (IHD) of interdisciplinary health professions trainees in the clinical training experience or policies around such actions. We surveyed a group of interdisciplinary students in the advanced years of their programs about IHD while in clinical training. Descriptive data and open-ended questions were analyzed. Of 87 respondents, the most frequently observed and experienced IHD were inappropriate verbal comments, 26.4% and 41.4%, respectively; the most frequent basis of observed IHD was race/ethnicity (17.2%) and the most frequently experienced was gender (26.4%). Physicians were noted most often to be the primary source of IHD (16.1%), followed by nurses (12.6%) and fellow trainees (12.6%). Of respondents experiencing IHD, 12 reported harassment, 11 reported intimidation, 6 reported discrimination, and 4 reported bias. When asked if anyone intervened at the time of the incident, 21 replied yes, most often supervisors or colleagues who were told (n=12). The incidence of IHD in clinical training warrants development of interdisciplinary training initiatives to address these issues.