[Perception of abuse among medical students of the University of Chile].
BACKGROUND
Even though studying Medicine and perceiving abuse seem to be two opposite situations, recent investigations in Chile and abroad find that this is a frequent and pervasive combination. These studies also report the negative effects in the lives of students as well as the impact on the profession as a whole.


OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the perception of abusive situations in medical students during training at the University of Chile.


METHODS
Descriptive and cross sectional study in which a questionnaire was applied to all the students enrolled in 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th year during 2001 and 2002. Using short vignettes, they were asked if they had experienced verbal, psychological, physical and sexual abuse, at least once, during their training, by whom and the eventual effects derived from it.


RESULTS
We obtained 757 questionnaires. Of the surveyed students, 91% reported having perceived at least one abusive episode during training. Teachers and fellow students were identified as the main offenders. Among the effects of such behavior, 32% mentioned that they considered dropping out of the career as a consequence of this experience.


CONCLUSIONS
The perception of abuse in medical students is common and has adverse effects. Efforts should be made to draw attention to this problem to prevent it.
Maida S
Ana Margarita
AM
Departamento de Pediatría y Cirugía Infantil Oriente, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna. mmaida@med.uchile.cl
Herskovic M
Viviana
V
Pereira S
Ana
A
Salinas-Fernández
Lorena
L
Esquivel C
Claudia
C
D000328:Adult; D002677:Chile; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010465:Perception; D012737:Sex Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data