Is sexual harassment and psychological abuse among medical students a fatality? A 2-year study in the Paris Descartes School of Medicine

Abstract

Introduction

An observatory of sexual harassment and psychological abuse was set up at one of France’s largest schools of medicine to both quantify and reduce sexual harassment or psychological abuse of medical students.

Methods

Over a 2-year period, we described the evolution of sexual harassment and psychological abuse and explored for associated factors. Moreover, a qualitative analysis using an inductive approach was performed from students’ verbatim.

Results

2795 responses were collected. Sexual harassment was reported in 7% and psychological abuse in 15%, at baseline, and decreased after the observatory was set up. Women had higher odds of being a victim of sexual harassment. Older students reported less often psychological abuse and being a witness of sexual harassment. Surgery departments were associated with up to 5.7-fold increased odds of sexual harassment. Surgery and pediatrics departments were associated with a 2-fold increased odds of psychological abuse. Qualitative analysis revealed four categories: humiliation, the feeling of inferiority, sexual harassment, and manifestations of violence.

Conclusion

During clerkships, factors associated with higher odds of sexual harassment and psychological abuse were female gender, younger age, and departments of surgery. Setting up such an observatory may contribute to reduce this burden and provide a useful tool to raise awareness.

Keywords:

• Sexual harassment
• psychological abuse
• medical students

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Glossary

Evaluation: Evaluation of interventions intended to decrease student mistreatment in medical school.

Student mistreatment: Psychological and/or sexual mistreatment of student during clerkship.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Quentin Lisan

Quentin Lisan, MD PhD, is an Otolaryngologist in Paris and his research focuses on epidemiology and medical teaching.

Bénédicte Pigneur

Bénédicte Pigneur, MD PhD, is a Pediatrician in Paris and involved in improving medical education.

Simon Pernot

Simon Pernot, MD PhD, is an Oncologist in Bordeaux and his research is partly based on medical education.

Cécile Flahault

Cécile Flahault, PhD, is a Psychologist in Paris and involved in improving medical students’ clerkship.

Frédéric Lenne

Frédéric Lenne, is Technician and involved in improving all communications tools with medical students.

Gérard Friedlander

Gérard Friedlander, MD PhD, is Professor of Physiology and was dean of the Paris Descartes School of Medicine. He is committed to students’ well-being.

Cécile Badoual

Cécile Badoual, MD PhD, is Professor of Histology and created the observatory together with Brigitte Ranque and Cédric Lemogne.

Brigitte Ranque

Brigitte Ranque, MD PhD, is a Professor of Internal Medicine of the Paris Descartes School of Medicine and is committed into improving medical students’ clerkship.

Cédric Lemogne

Cédric Lemogne, MD PhD, is a Professor of Psychiatry of the Paris Descartes School of Medicine and is committed into improving medical students’ clerkship.