“Those Darn Kids”: Having Meaningful Conversations about Learner Resistance in Medical Education

Abstract

The concept of professional resistance describes the principles professionals should follow when they seek to counter social harm and injustice. Applied to medical education, the principles of professional resistance can help learners and teachers balance the responsibilities to respond to harm and injustice with their roles and responsibilities as health professionals. However, there remains the problem of how educators and leaders can constructively respond to learner acts of resistance. It would seem that many leaders have dismissed learner resistance with variations on “Those Darn Kids!”, a complaint that has long been levied at those in younger generations who challenge power and authority. How can productive change in medical education be achieved if learners’ complaints are not taken seriously? Rather than dismissal, leaders and educators in these situations need the tools to engage learners in conversations that draw out their concerns.

Keywords:

• resistance
• advocacy
• negotiation
• quality education

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all of the trainees engaged in professional resistance and the faculty that support their efforts to create change in medical education.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Disclaimer

This work was prepared by a civilian employee of the US Government as part of the individual’s official duties and therefore is in the public domain. The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University or the Department of Defense.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a Uniformed Services University Grant: R.0038013.3.11.