Medical Malpractice Cases Involving Medical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Law
• Medical Education
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Medical malpractice claims involving medical students are a critical area of concern within healthcare education and practice.
• Understanding the characteristics of these claims is essential for improving patient safety and refining medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the specific characteristics of medical malpractice claims involving U.S. medical students.
• To identify common errors, patient outcomes, and contributing factors in these legal cases.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of the Westlaw legal database was conducted for malpractice cases involving medical students from 1900 to 2023.
• Cases were independently reviewed, with data categorized and summarized using frequency counts and descriptive statistics.

Main Results:

• Sixty-five cases met the inclusion criteria, with common patient outcomes including death (29%), pain (38%), and disability (55%).
• Emergency medicine, general surgery, and obstetrics/gynecology were the most frequently involved specialties.
• Alleged errors centered on medical decision-making (46%), procedural complications (37%), and poor communication (17%).
• Lack of physician supervision was cited in 50% of cases resulting in settlements or verdicts against students, totaling over $78 million.

Conclusions:

• Medical malpractice claims involving students, while rare, are often linked to decision-making, procedural errors, and communication failures.
• Insufficient supervision is a frequently identified factor in these claims.
• Findings can inform targeted educational strategies for medical students and supervising physicians to mitigate malpractice risks.