Medical errors reported by French general practitioners in training: results of a survey and individual interviews.
BACKGROUND
French interns in general practice are, like all medical students, exposed to medical errors during their training.


OBJECTIVE
To measure the professional and personal impact of medical errors on French general practitioner (GP) trainees.


METHODS
Quantitative and qualitative study of medical errors and GP trainees enrolled at Paris Diderot University.


METHODS
An online anonymous questionnaire was sent to all GP trainees at Paris Diderot University and recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 volunteers.


RESULTS
70 of the 392 (18%) interns contacted replied to the questionnaire and 10 semi-structured interviews were then conducted. 97% of the participants had already made a medical error. Even with the extreme, conservative assumption that non-respondents would have reported no errors, the prevalence of self-reported medical errors in the whole sample would still have been 17%. 64% said they were at least strongly affected by their error and 74% made constructive changes to their work after the error. The interns revealed that the emotional impact of their errors were great with feelings such as guilt that could remain for more than 2 years after the event. 33% would have liked to talk more about the circumstances of their error with their superior. Most interns suggest more training on medical errors and more open-minded discussion when the error actually happens rather than formal training at the university.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical errors remain a sensitive subject that is not broached enough in our university but interns need to talk about their experiences with their peers to improve risk management and prevent the recurrence of new errors.
Department of General Medical Practice, Paris Diderot University, Paris 7018, France.
Emily
E
Venus
Eric
E
Galam
Jean-Pierre
JP
Aubert
Michel
M
Nougairede
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004644:Emotions; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education; D005602:France; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires