A Personal Perspective: Is Bullying Still a Problem in Medicine?
OA Location
Author(s)
Taylor-Robinson, Simon
de Souza Lopes, Paulo A
Zdravkov, Jey
Harrison, Rachel
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Bullying of whatever form should have no place in the Medical Profession. Reforms to junior doctor training and reduction in working hours have helped to control most of the individual bullying which may have existed in the past. However, the complexities of institutional bullying still exist. In the United Kingdom, centralised monitoring systems, such as Athena SWAN, are designed to reward academic and medical institutions for positive steps to introduce equality and mitigate bullying. However, the reality is that such processes may be conducted in healthcare or educational establishments that have little intention to address the problem thoroughly. We report the personal experience of both individual and institutional bullying in the medical career of a medically-qualified interviewee and reflect on ways to mitigate the problem. We also consider whether unconscious bias affects our relationships with patients. In a caring medical profession, there should be no room for intolerance, unconscious bias or bullying.
Date Issued
2021-02-10
Date Acceptance
2021-01-19
Citation
Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2021, 12, pp.141-145
ISSN
1179-7258
Publisher
Dove Medical Press
Start Page
141
End Page
145
Journal / Book Title
Advances in Medical Education and Practice
Volume
12
Copyright Statement
Copyright the authors
License URL
Sponsor
Wellcome Trust
Grant Number
097816/Z/11/B
Subjects
Social Sciences
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Education & Educational Research
bullying
institutional bullying
personal bullying
unconscious bias
bullying
institutional bullying
personal bullying
unconscious bias
1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-01-26