Navigating Mistreatment in Medical Education: Students’ Experiences
Abstract
Background: Mistreatment of medical students (MS) are widely documented globally. Mistreatment encompasses gender and racial discrimination, public humiliation, and disrespect etc. and is associated with mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and burnout. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of mistreatment among Danish MS and junior physicians (JP) enrolled in Clinical Basic Education, how these experiences have affected them, and the strategies they use to cope.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 27 JPs and MS were conducted from May to September 2023. An interview guide, focused on experiences with and responses to mistreatment was developed. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or online. All MS signed a written consent form. The authors thematically coded the data (with each coding half), and then discussed collaboratively and merged into a single dataset.
Results: Three main themes were identified in the analyses. 1. Reporting of mistreatment: MS were unsure about where to seek help, accepted the culture of “the clinic”, and were reluctant to share their experiences with clinical teachers out of fear of academic consequences. 2. Coping strategies: MS handled mistreatment by keeping things inside, visualizing status as physician or reaching out for support from supervisors or peers. 3. Implications for learning: MS experienced missed learning opportunities and a disconnect between the formal and hidden curricula.
Conclusions: Danish MS experience mistreatment during medical school, which negatively impact their learning opportunities. Due to clinical hierarchies, cultural factors, and uncertainty about where to seek help, they often feel insecure about reporting incidents. Moreover, MS adopt various coping strategies to navigate these experiences. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to raise awareness of mistreatment and foster an inclusive educational environment that supports the well-being and success of MS.
Key messages: • Medical students cope with mistreatment in various ways, often choosing not to report incidents due to clinical culture, hierarchies, and fear of negative repercussions on their academic progress.
• Medical students are often unsure where to seek help for mistreatment during clinical rotations, highlighting the need for university action to ensure support and an inclusive learning environment.
Related
- Associations between adverse childhood experiences, depression, and empathy among Thai medical students: implications for trauma-informed medical education.
- Gateway to belonging? A mixed-methods study exploring the experiences of widening participation students in a UK medical school.
- Perceptions and Experiences of the Foster Family Program Among Alumni and Undergraduate Medical Students at CMC Ludhiana: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study
- Nutritional Literacy in Early Medical Education: A Cross-Sectional Comparison of First and Third-Year Medical Students in Turkey
- “Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies Among Jordanian Medical Students: Implications for Medical Education“
BibTeX
@article{sorensen2026navigating,
title = {{Navigating Mistreatment in Medical Education: Students’ Experiences}},
author = {JA Sørensen and AL Hindhede},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1365},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1365},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Navigating Mistreatment in Medical Education: Students’ Experiences
AU - JA Sørensen
AU - AL Hindhede
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1365
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1365
AB - Background: Mistreatment of medical students (MS) are widely documented globally. Mistreatment encompasses gender and racial discrimination, public humiliation, and disrespect etc. and is associated with mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and burnout. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of mistreatment among Danish MS and junior physicians (JP) enrolled in Clinical Basic Education, how these experiences have affected them, and the strategies they use to cope. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 27 JPs and MS were conducted from May to September 2023. An interview guide, focused on experiences with and responses to mistreatment was developed. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or online. All MS signed a written consent form. The authors thematically coded the data (with each coding half), and then discussed collaboratively and merged into a single dataset. Results: Three main themes were identified in the analyses. 1. Reporting of mistreatment: MS were unsure about where to seek help, accepted the culture of “the clinic”, and were reluctant to share their experiences with clinical teachers out of fear of academic consequences. 2. Coping strategies: MS handled mistreatment by keeping things inside, visualizing status as physician or reaching out for support from supervisors or peers. 3. Implications for learning: MS experienced missed learning opportunities and a disconnect between the formal and hidden curricula. Conclusions: Danish MS experience mistreatment during medical school, which negatively impact their learning opportunities. Due to clinical hierarchies, cultural factors, and uncertainty about where to seek help, they often feel insecure about reporting incidents. Moreover, MS adopt various coping strategies to navigate these experiences. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to raise awareness of mistreatment and foster an inclusive educational environment that supports the well-being and success of MS. Key messages: • Medical students cope with mistreatment in various ways, often choosing not to report incidents due to clinical culture, hierarchies, and fear of negative repercussions on their academic progress. • Medical students are often unsure where to seek help for mistreatment during clinical rotations, highlighting the need for university action to ensure support and an inclusive learning environment.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -