The Prevalence of Sexual Misconduct in US Medical Education: Examining the Intersecting Vulnerabilities of Gender and Sexual Orientation

TL;DR

This study finds that sexual harassment and nonconsensual contact are common in US medical schools, especially affecting women and non-heterosexual students.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into how gender and sexual orientation intersect with sexual misconduct in medical education.

Findings

12.2% of respondents experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, often by fellow students.

Non-heterosexual individuals and females faced a disproportionate impact of sexual misconduct.

The study highlights the need for policies to address these issues in both MD and DO programs.

Abstract

This study explores the prevalence, characteristics, and correlates of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact among medical students in the United States (US). The study aims to understand the association between gender, sexual orientation, and these incidents within the context of undergraduate medical education in the US. Employing a cross-sectional approach, this study collected primary data from 23,124 medical students across various US allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. After the data were cleaned, 245 (1% of the targeted population) respondents were included in the final analysis. The focus was on the prevalence and characteristics of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact and the association of gender and sexual orientation with these experiences. The findings revealed that 12.2% (n = 30) of the respondents experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, with other medical students being the most common perpetrators. A significant association was found between gender, sexual orientation, and the occurrence of unwanted sexual contact, indicating a disproportionate impact on non-heterosexual individuals and females. The study underscores the prevalence of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact within the US undergraduate medical education, highlighting disparities based on gender and sexual orientation. These results call for the implementation of policies and programs to address sexual misconduct in medical schools. The study elucidates the need for an understanding of the impact of sexual misconduct on students attending both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical programs.