A recent cohort study of over 4,000 trainees has revealed a decrease in rates of sexual harassment and gender harassment during intern year. The survey conducted during the last month of internship showed a reduction in sexual harassment rates from 62.8% in 2017 to 54.6% in 2023, as well as a decrease in gender harassment rates from 61% to 51.7%. This suggests a positive trend in the workplace environment, with interns experiencing these types of harassment at lower frequencies.
Interestingly, the study also found an increase in the recognition of sexual harassment and gender harassment among interns. The recognition of sexual harassment rose from 8.6% to 18.4%, while gender harassment recognition increased from 8.9% to 18.9%. This indicates that interns are becoming more aware of these behaviors and are more willing to acknowledge and report them. However, there is still a significant gap between the actual experience of harassment and its recognition, highlighting the entrenched nature of discriminatory behavior in the medical field.
One concerning finding of the study was the significant increase in rates of sexual coercion, particularly among women and nonsurgical interns. Rates more than doubled for women, from 2.3% to 5.5%, and from 1.6% to 4% for nonsurgical interns. This trend is troubling and emphasizes the need for continued efforts to address and prevent such behaviors in medical training programs.
The study also shed light on the unique stressors that women may face during internships and throughout their medical careers. The recognition of unwanted sexual attention increased significantly for women trainees, from 29.7% to 41.8%, and for surgical trainees, from 18.8% to 52.5%. Surgical trainees also experienced a substantial increase in gender harassment recognition. These findings underscore the challenges that women in medicine may encounter and the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all trainees.
The authors of the study emphasized the need for a cultural shift in the medical field to address the prevalence of sexual and gender-based discriminatory behavior. While progress has been made in terms of increased recognition of these behaviors, there is still much work to be done to create a safe and respectful work environment for all healthcare professionals. Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil, highlighted the importance of this study in raising awareness of these issues and advocating for change in medical training programs.
The study had limitations, including potential underreporting of harassment incidents. Future research should delve deeper into how specialty, institution, and program-specific factors influence rates of sexual harassment and reporting. By understanding the underlying factors contributing to these behaviors, interventions can be implemented to mitigate them and create a more supportive training environment for all medical trainees.
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