Altering workplace attitudes for resident education (A.W.A.R.E.): discovering solutions for medical resident bullying through literature review.
BACKGROUND
Physicians-in-training are challenged every day with grueling academic requirements, job strain, and patient safety concerns. Residency shapes the skills and values that will percolate to patient care and professional character. Unfortunately, impediments to the educational process due to medical resident mistreatment by bullying remain highly prevalent in training today.


METHODS
A PubMed literature review was undertaken using key terms to help define resident mistreatment by bullying, determine its prevalence, identify its potential causes and sequelae, and find suggestions for changing this detrimental culture of medical training.


RESULTS
We identified 62 relevant articles. The most frequently noted form of mistreatment was verbal abuse, with the most common perpetrators being fellow physicians of higher hierarchical power. Mistreatment exists due to its cyclical nature and the existing culture of medical training. These disruptive behaviors affect the wellbeing of both medical residents and patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This article highlights the importance of creating systems that educate physicians-in-training about professional mistreatment by bullying and the imperative in recognizing and correcting these abuses. Resident bullying leads to increased resident stress, decreased resident wellbeing as well as risks to patient safety and increased healthcare costs. Solutions include education of healthcare team members, committee creation, regulation of feedback, and creation of a zero-tolerance policy focused on the health of both patients and residents. Altering workplace attitudes will diminish the detrimental effects that bullying has on resident training.
Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine, 462 First Avenue - NBV 5N18, New York, NY, 10016, USA. hbleisy@gmail.com.
Heather B
HB
Leisy
Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine, 462 First Avenue - NBV 5N18, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
Meleha
M
Ahmad
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D058445:Bullying; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D017132:Workplace
Bullying; Medical training; Mistreatment; Residency; Resident harassment