Highlights
- •Forty-eight percent of residents and 29% of faculty experienced mistreatment.
- •The most common form of mistreatment for both groups was public humiliation.
- •The most common instigator for both groups was faculty.
- •Residents and faculty do not report mistreatment.
Abstract
Background
Mistreatment has been correlated with burnout and poor well-being in medical students,
but data regarding residents and faculty are limited. The objective was to investigate
the prevalence of mistreatment towards surgical housestaff and faculty and characterize
such experiences.
Methods
In 2018, the Department of Surgery surveyed housestaff and faculty on incidents of
mistreatment.
Results
Clinical faculty (63%) and residents (72%) completed the mistreatment survey. Excluding
public embarrassment, 48% of residents and 29% of clinical faculty experienced mistreatment.
Residents experienced public embarrassment and public humiliation more frequently
than faculty, however faculty were subjected to racially or ethnically offensive remarks/names
more frequently than residents (p < .05). Faculty within and external to their department
were most cited as instigators of mistreatment. Residents experienced mistreatment
most often by faculty, co-residents, and nurses. Reporting of the behaviors was low.
Conclusions
Incidents of mistreatment are frequently occurring for surgical residents and faculty.
Graphical abstract

Graphical Abstract
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 03, 2020
Accepted:
November 23,
2019
Received in revised form:
November 17,
2019
Received:
May 10,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.