Addressing unprofessional behaviors in the clinical learning environment: lessons from a multi-year virtual,...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professionalism

Background:

• Optimizing the clinical learning environment (CLE) is a national priority in medical education.
• Unprofessional behaviors, mistreatment, and microaggressions negatively impact the CLE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an innovative virtual workshop to enhance the CLE.
• To improve participants' recognition of and response to unprofessional behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A one-hour virtual workshop was designed with case scenarios of unprofessional behaviors.
• The workshop included didactics on mistreatment, microaggressions, and bystander interventions.
• Participants engaged in small-group discussions facilitated by faculty and housestaff.

Main Results:

• 340 students and 73 faculty/housestaff participated across two sessions (2021-2022).
• Post-session surveys indicated significant improvements in recognizing and responding to CLE challenges.
• The workshop effectively advanced participants' knowledge and commitment to improving the CLE.

Conclusions:

• The virtual workshop is an effective tool for enhancing the clinical learning environment.
• Addressing unprofessional behaviors through education improves participant confidence and commitment.
• This innovative approach contributes to fostering a more positive and professional medical education setting.