title: Whistle-blowing in Medical School: A National Survey on Peer Accountability and Professional Misconduct in Medical Students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines medical students' attitudes towards peer accountability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationally representative sample of 564 third year medical students was surveyed. Students reported their agreement or disagreement with two statements: "I feel professionally obligated to report peers whose personal behaviors compromise their professional responsibilities" and "I feel professionally obligated to report peers who I believe are seriously unfit to practice medicine."
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of students (81.6 %) either agreed strongly or agreed somewhat that they feel obligated to report peers whose personal behaviors compromise their professional responsibilities. The majority (84.1 %) also agreed that they feel professionally obligated to report peers who they believe are seriously unfit to practice medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast with previous studies, this national study found that a significant majority of students reported that they feel obligated to report unfit peers.
authors: Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. laura_hodges@brown.edu.
authors: Laura E
authors: LE
authors: Hodges
authors: University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
authors: Hyo Jung
authors: HJ
authors: Tak
authors: Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors: Farr A
authors: FA
authors: Curlin
authors: The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Yoon
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011361:Professional Competence; D028743:Professional Misconduct; D000068616:Professionalism; D012577:Schools, Medical; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035642:Whistleblowing
keywords: Medical students; National Survey; Peer accountability; Professionalism; Whistle-blowing