Teaching medical students to navigate workplace harassment - preliminary experiences from a pilot workshop in Germany.

backgroundSexual harassment in medical education is highly prevalent and can be perpetrated by both faculty and patients. To date, medical students receive no formal training specifically preparing them for handling sexual harassment in the workplace. Additionally, no German-language resources exist that educators can rely on for guidance in dealing with patient-perpetrated sexual harassment.

methodsA 90-minute practice-oriented workshop on addressing sexual harassment in medical education was developed, implemented, and evaluated at the University of Augsburg. The seminar aims to train medical students in recognizing and responding to workplace harassment. The workshop incorporated interactive methods and role-playing scenarios to facilitate the learning and practice of communication strategies. All participants completed an evaluation questionnaire, providing a retrospective self-assessment of their ability to identify and respond to sexual harassment.

resultsA total of 20 out of 72 students participated in the seminar across four sessions, 20/20 completed the questionnaire. Women reported significantly more personal experiences of sexual harassment while men reported slightly higher tendencies to directly address sexual harassment, but this difference was not statistically significant. Following the workshop, participants reported feeling significantly better prepared in their self-assessment, no significant gender differences were observed. Participants rated the workshop as relevant and practical and strongly endorsed its continuation.

conclusionThe workshop addresses an existing gap in medical education and serves as a valuable addition to communication training. The use of role-playing exercises and the practice of responses were perceived by participants as highly beneficial. Expanding the program and offering it earlier in the curriculum is recommended.