Latest news with #mistreatment
Medscape
5 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Harassed in Med School
Medical school is a fast-paced, high-pressure environment where students are expected to excel. As part of their training, they learn to navigate tense interactions with faculty, residents, peers, and patients. But what happens when those interactions cross a line and students feel harassed, mistreated, or humiliated? Nearly 40% of medical students reported experiencing harassment during med school, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC's) most recent survey of 2023-2024 graduates. The behaviors include being publicly humiliated or subjected to sexist, racist, or ethnically offensive remarks or names. In addition, almost 40% of graduates reported being publicly embarrassed. Clinical rotation faculty were cited as perpetrators of most of the negative behaviors in the survey. As the AAMC questionnaire shows, mistreatment continues to take place in medical schools despite policies that seek to curb it. Caroline Beit was 4 months pregnant when she entered the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, in the fall of 2024. From her first day until she gave birth to her daughter earlier this year, she claims she was verbally harassed by faculty and students about her choice to have a baby while attending medical school. She said that one professor told her class that pregnancy was a 'truly horrible disease.' Another initially referred to pregnancy as a 'disease state' before telling the class that their classmate could tell them all about pregnancy. 'The attention on my pregnancy from the entire class embarrassed me,' Beit told Medscape Medical News . In addition, Beit said she felt harassed by students, who asked if they could watch the birth. They commented on her changing body, inquired whether it was a planned pregnancy, and even suggested she have an abortion. She also said that fellow students told her that she should take an exam elsewhere in case she went into labor and distracted them. In response to Medscape Medical News' inquiries about the complaint, a Johns Hopkins University spokesperson said that the school protects student privacy under federal law and could not comment on individual cases or complaints. 'We have long-established policies in place that strictly prohibit discrimination and harassment,' read an emailed statement from a university spokesperson . 'We take all reports seriously and evaluate each one to take appropriate action. If any member of our community experiences or witnesses such behavior, we encourage them to contact the Office of Institutional Equity [OIE],' the statement read. 'The School of Medicine has additional resources to respond to student concerns and address a wide range of potential issues, and we are continually working to ensure that all of our students are treated with fairness and respect.' About Medscape Data Medscape continually surveys physicians and other medical professionals about key practice challenges and current issues, creating high-impact analyses. For example, a soon-to-be-published report on medical school stressors found that One quarter of fourth-year med students have been harassed or bullied by attendings or residents. 19% of med students reported bullying by fellow students. In addition, nearly 30% of students reported unwanted advances from patients, followed by such advances from peers. Among female students, the rate of unwanted advances from patients, 38%, was slightly higher, according to another Medscape report. Filing a Complaint Nathalie Feldman, MD, director of the Learning Environment at The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM), Burlington, Vermont, encourages students who believe they've been mistreated to file a report. She said that the bar is very low for reporting at their institution, so they will address anything that makes students feel uncomfortable. She also added that students have a QR barcode on the back of their name badges connecting them with forms to report concerns or unprofessional behavior. 'We try to decrease as many barriers to reporting as possible,' said Feldman, an associate professor in the medical school's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. Beit said that she filed informal complaints with Johns Hopkins' Office of Medical Student Affairs and formal complaints with the Mistreatment Incident and Learning Environment Surveillance (MILES) Committee, which promotes a safe and respectful learning environment for medical students. MILES must notify and file a complaint with the OIE, which oversees compliance with antidiscrimination and harassment policies. Beit added that MILES also changed her to a different professor's group. In response to the complaints, one professor sent a written apology to her group that he had erred and that 'it was wrong to classify pregnancy as a disease.' She doesn't believe the other complaint was resolved, nor that her complaints led to any significant institutional changes. She didn't file complaints against her fellow students. Why Misbehavior Occurs in Med School Beit is not alone in her claims of mistreatment in medical school. Among the findings of the AAMC's 2024 graduation questionnaire, about 20% of students reported being publicly humiliated, 13% subjected to offensive sexual remarks or names, and nearly 9% experiencing racially or ethnically offensive comments. The statistics have improved slightly since 2020, with more students knowing how to report mistreatment at their schools and reporting it, according to the survey. While most medical educators and staff are 'professional and well-meaning,' some abuse their power, said Tim Lacy, senior director of Student Learning Environment at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago. 'Some people with poor intentions are opportunistic, taking advantage of sincere or naïve medical students.' Feldman believes that some contributing factors to mistreatment, harassment, or public humiliation of medical students might relate to the hierarchal system of teaching hospitals and to generational differences in communication styles between students and faculty or other supervising clinicians that can cause tension, especially in the 'high-stakes, high-acuity' environment of patient care. Feldman added that often the harassing or bullying behavior isn't intentional but rather committed by individuals who were taught with those same public humiliation techniques and may be unfamiliar with how language and training have evolved. Halting Harassment The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), an accrediting body for educational programs at schools of medicine, requires medical schools to set standards for student mistreatment, among other qualifications for accreditation. Medical schools are expected to develop written policies that define mistreatment, have mechanisms in place for prompt responses to complaints, and support educational activities that prevent mistreatment, according to the current LCME standards. The LCME standards include general guidelines for creating respectful learning environments and relationships, but ultimately, schools have flexibility in how they apply the principles, so policies differ by school, said Geoffrey Young, AAMC senior director for the Transforming the Health Care Workforce unit. For instance, the University of Illinois College of Medicine has a code of professional conduct for teacher-student relationships and standards for reporting student mistreatment in its Positive Learning Environment Policy. Per the policy, 'Publicly humiliating, physically harming, exploiting, and/or subjecting an individual to unwanted sexual advances are all examples of mistreatment.' Schools must also ensure students understand how to report mistreatment and that 'any violations can be registered and investigated without fear of retaliation.' Among the reasons graduates do not report such incidents are a belief that the school will not act and fear of reprisal. 'Even though there's a policy and a reporting process, we still know there's underreporting because of fear of retribution and retaliation. It's my job to make sure students feel confident and reassure them by reporting and representing their best interests,' Lacy said. He advises students that filing a complaint might affect their career options. If they want to proceed, he cautions students to file reports well before grades are released so the complaint doesn't appear to result from grading. Some students may even delay complaints until after they graduate to avoid repercussions, Lacy said. Beit admitted that she was afraid of repercussions and still is. 'I worry that, given that I have 3 years left, that I will continue to be harassed for having a child while in medical school.' When a student comes to Lacy with concerns, he clarifies whether they want to consult with him confidentially or report an issue. He told Medscape Medical News that most students want a sounding board. The conversation may occur in person, through video conferencing, or via email. Lacy said he tries to respond to the initial report within a day or two, but a complete institutional response to the situation can vary from a day to several weeks. Most of the reports of abuse are from third-year medical students, he added. 'As the year progresses, they come to realize a range of normal clinical behaviors and begin to be comfortable reporting events outside of that range.' In some cases, the school can resolve the situation without reporting an incident. Lacy cited a recent student complaint he received through email, prompting him to speak with the education dean and clerkship director to resolve the issue. 'I consult with whoever has the power to change the situation.' Feldman explained that the tiered resolution process at The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine at the UVM starts with an informal dialogue and, if necessary, escalates to a formal investigation. Faculty members may be removed from teaching activities until they complete coaching or a remediation program. If that doesn't prevent recurrence, the incident might be documented in their professional record, leading to other more severe disciplinary actions, such as decreased responsibilities or losing their job. However, Feldman said, 'That's extremely rare, but it's possible.' At the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, several policies and processes help protect students from unprofessional behavior, including a Teacher-Learner Agreement and a Mistreatment Policy. The latter refers students who witness such behavior to the Office of Faculty Relations, which can provide support and help them report incidents. The office directs students whose concerns involve discrimination, sexual misconduct, or harassment to the CU Office of Equity. 'We will talk the student through the process and let them know what to expect,' said Abigail Lara, MD, assistant dean for faculty relations. Resolution procedures run the gamut from potential sanctions against staff who violate the policy — a warning, a written letter of reprimand, or the employee's firing. Other sanctions may include mandatory training, demotion, change in job responsibilities, reduced salary, ineligibility for merit increases, or denying access to all or a portion of the university's property. Protecting Students Two years ago, the University of Colorado School of Medicine launched an antimistreatment effort that analyzed their students' reports of negative behaviors on the AAMC graduation questionnaire surveys from 2019 to 2023. The school conducted its own survey at the end of the clinical rotation period and held focus groups with students, Lara added. She said the campaign decreased experiences of bullying and mistreatment. In addition, if a student reports mistreatment on the survey, it automatically flags an administrator to reach out to the student to see if they want to discuss the issue further. UVM's medical school saw a 'dramatic decrease' in student mistreatment reports from the operating room (OR) when students were better trained to maintain a sterile field, a concern of OR nurses, Feldman said. 'New students were coming into the operating room, and the nurses would bark at them if they got too close to the table. Students reported it as mistreatment to us. So, we created a shadowing [opportunity] where students could follow a patient care associate to learn how to keep a sterile field,' she said. 'Then we went back to the perioperative staff, the nurses where the mistreatment was coming from, and they said the students were so much better prepared. We involved them in training our students, and they were empowered to then teach them the right way to keep a sterile field.' Feldman added that involving the students in the resolution process also can help ease tension. They can also refer students to counseling and psychiatry services to help them cope with the aftermath of an incident. Despite policies and methods for resolving conflicts, Beit believes med schools like hers that value diversity of experiences in their incoming classes should better protect those who don't fit the mold of the traditional student. 'Policies technically prevent discrimination and harassment. In practice, they are not doing enough to protect students,' she said. She understands the risks she took bringing attention to a perceived injustice. But she didn't think the school culture would change unless she spoke up. If medical students feel they've been bullied or harassed, Lacy recommends: Keep a recurring journal or send an email to yourself with the details of an incident. Take notes while you can remember the conversations and specifics, especially if you're considering action in the future. Document the incident with evidence, such as screenshots of chats, in case they are deleted later. If you're unsure about reporting an incident, find a trusted staff member, faculty member, or student leader to consult. Report incidents sooner rather than later so concerns are taken seriously and can be investigated timely.
ABC News
16-07-2025
- ABC News
RSPCA investigates piggery after activist group footage shows pigs eating carcasses
Warning: This article contains distressing content about the alleged mistreatment of animals. It also includes graphic images of injuries and animal living conditions that may cause distress. The ABC has chosen to exclude or pixelate some of the more confronting images provided. The RSPCA is investigating alleged animal welfare breaches at a South Australian abattoir, after footage emerged showing pigs feeding on carcasses, and living alongside dead and decomposed animals. Victorian activist group Farm Transparency Project (FTP) said it captured the images in June during separate visits to the site on Long Plains Road, Dublin. On June 26, the group supplied an edited 16-minute clip to the RSPCA, which carried out an inspection the following day, according to correspondence between the organisations. In a statement, an RSPCA spokesperson said a report had been received "in relation to concerns regarding the welfare of animals at a property north of Adelaide". "Our inspectorate are currently investigating the complaint and as such, no further comments will be provided at this time," they said. The ABC reviewed the vision, which was taken on June 14 and 20, according to FTP executive director Chris Delforce, and has been published on the group's website. Mr Delforce said it depicted conditions inside four sheds where livestock were housed, but the ABC could not independently verify the filming location. Initially, the clip shows several live pigs having difficulty wading through a pool of mud, along with masses of living and immobile pigs huddled together. In at least two instances, pigs are seen cannibalising carcasses belonging to other pigs, and on a further two occasions can be seen eating other unidentified animals. One close-up shows a pig with a bone-deep, open wound on its back, roughly 10 centimetres across. Another, which the ABC chose not to publish, showed a live pig attempting to walk with a tennis ball-sized growth protruding from its anus. In another segment, more than a dozen dead pigs have been piled into a pen, but at least three appear to be alive and trapped in the gaps of the gate. When one of them is pulled free, it appears unable to walk on its hind legs. Drone footage showed 13 enclosures on the property altogether, but Mr Delforce said the others were in "normal conditions" and animals appeared "healthy and relatively bright". The initial batch of video was taken by a group Mr Delforce described as "Adelaide-based investigators", while he and a colleague captured follow-up vision to verify the conditions. Piggery owner Andgar Proprietors declined to comment on the footage, including whether the company was aware of the conditions and if it took any steps to rectify them. In a statement, Australian Pork chief executive Margo Andrae said the industry group was carrying out its own investigation and would support the RSPCA's enquiries. "Any breaches of animal welfare have no place in Australian pig farming and are fundamentally at odds with the values and practices our farmers expect of their peers. "The Australian pork industry remains firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of animal welfare." Mr Delforce, who co-founded FTP in 2014 with the aim of forcing the closure of the Australian meat-processing industry, said "it was some of the worst conditions [he'd] ever seen" in investigating more than 40 abattoirs. This year, the SA government introduced new maximum penalties for animal cruelty of 10 years' imprisonment or a $250,000 fine, but Mr Delforce said he had "very little faith in SA authorities". He cited another SA abattoir which had been granted an exemption for stunning goats before slaughter, but in 2023, the group captured footage of workers failing to do so immediately after cutting their throats, as recommended by best practice guidelines. The Department of Environment and Water advised him it identified no animal cruelty offences, but did conduct an on-site education visit. "There's all sorts of things you can do to pigs that you couldn't do to a dog or cat, and that's just because there's money to be made," Mr Delforce said. "We need the public to show them that they have to grow a spine and stand up to these industries, otherwise nothing is going to change. "We want this place to shut down, and nothing short of that is going to be acceptable to us." The department, which was also sent the footage, said it did not provide comments during ongoing investigations. South Australia's Environment Minister Susan Close defended the state's animal welfare regime. "South Australians have little tolerance for acts of animal cruelty and the government is overhauling a number of pieces of legislation pertaining to the management and care of animals to bring them into line with community expectations," she said. "There are also numerous codes, including the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals, Livestock and Poultry at Slaughtering Establishments (Abattoirs, Slaughterhouses and Knackeries), to ensure animals are treated humanely. "The government also had input into a national review of livestock processing standards and guidelines." It is unknown when the RSPCA will hand down findings.
CNN
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in notorious El Salvadoran prison
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered "torture and mistreatment" after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador's notorious mega prison.
CNN
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in notorious El Salvadoran prison
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered "torture and mistreatment" after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador's notorious mega prison.
CNN
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia detail ‘torture and mistreatment' in El Salvador's mega prison
Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia on Wednesday continued their push to keep their civil case against the Trump administration alive, requesting to amend the lawsuit to include what they describe as the 'torture and mistreatment' he experienced at El Salvador's notorious mega prison, where he was wrongfully deported and held earlier this year. In court documents filed in federal court in Maryland, Abrego Garcia's legal team alleges the Salvadoran national 'was subjected to severe mistreatment upon arrival' at the Center for Terrorism Confinement, 'including but not limited to severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation, inadequate nutrition, and psychological torture.' When Abrego Garcia arrived at the prison, his head was shaved and he was kicked and 'struck on his head and arms,' which left 'visible bruises and lumps all over his body,' according to the filing. Abrego Garcia and 20 others were then made to kneel overnight, with prison guards striking those who fell, his attorneys said – 'During this time, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was denied bathroom access and soiled himself,' the filing added. The lawyers describe where Abrego Garcia was first held as a windowless, 'overcrowded' cell, with metal bunks without mattresses, 'bright lights that remained on 24 hours a day, and minimal access to sanitation.' Lawyers also claimed in the filing that at one point, Abrego Garcia and four other detainees were transferred to a different part of the prison to take photos 'with mattresses and better food,' which they said 'appeared to be staged to document improved conditions.' He remained at the mega prison for nearly a month before he was transferred to a facility in Santa Ana, El Salvador. During the first two weeks, his lawyers claim Abrego Garcia lost around 31 pounds. The request to revise the lawsuit comes as Justice Department attorneys have argued that the case is moot because the government has returned Abrego Garcia to the US to face human smuggling charges. Abrego Garcia's lawyers argued in Wednesday's filing that including details of his time in the prison 'is essential to present a complete picture of the violations and ensure adequate relief.' In a statement to CNN, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the claims from Abrego Garcia's lawyers as a 'sob story.' 'Once again the media is falling all over themselves to defend Kilmar Abrego Garcia,' McLaughlin said. 'The media's sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal gang member has completely fallen apart, yet they continue to peddle his sob story. We hear far too much about gang members and criminals' false sob stories and not enough about their victims.' Abrego Garcia's wife and lawyers have denied he is part of a gang. The Maryland man's case has become a political flashpoint, and he is seen by many critics of the Trump administration – whose admission that he was wrongfully deported brought the case to the national forefront – as the face of the administration's aggressive crackdown on immigration. Abrego Garcia remains in federal custody in Tennessee as he faces human smuggling charges. The Trump administration has said it plans to eventually deport him to a country other than El Salvador, where he is from – a detail that Abrego Garcia's lawyers also asked in Wednesday's filing to be included in the lawsuit. The Department of Homeland Security will initiate removal proceedings after Abrego Garcia returns to the agency's immigration custody, a Justice Department lawyer said during a brief court hearing last week. The attorney said at the time that DHS had not communicated a timeline for the deportation. While Abrego Garcia will remain in the custody of US Marshals until at least mid-July following a federal magistrate judge's order earlier this week, the undocumented immigrant still appears to be in limbo on what's next for him. Wednesday's filing also asked that details from a former Justice Department lawyer's whistleblower letter be included in the lawsuit. CNN reported last week that in the letter, the whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, who worked on the Abrego Garcia case, claimed that top DOJ leaders and judicial nominee tried to mislead judges.
