A curriculum on physician-patient sexual misconduct and teacher-learner mistreatment. Part 2: Teaching method

Abstract

Medical educators have become increasingly aware of the need for health care professionals to receive more training about the causes and consequences of physician-patient sexual misconduct and teacher-learner mistreatment and harassment. A curriculum in use at the University of Toronto includes a didactic component, consisting of lectures, and an experiential component, consisting of a workshop. This article concerns how, by discussing case vignettes designed to illustrate salient points, the participants have an opportunity to consider their responses in actual clinical and teaching situations. Evaluation of the course by 373 participants shows that the curriculum is considered acceptable and is likely to be of benefit. Of the course participants, 54% (15/28) of those attending the course for faculty and 39% (133/345) of those at subsequent courses stated that they would change their clinical and teaching practices in positive ways as a result of attending. A further 38% (130/345) stated that they already practised in a manner congruent with the model discussed.