A Systematic Approach to Address and Prevent Microaggressions and Harassment Directed Towards Residents

Residents who identify as underrepresented in medicine, women, have strong spiritual or faith beliefs, and other minority groups experience a high prevalence of microaggressions. Studies have shown microaggressions lead to higher rates of burnout, increased rates of depression, and decreased academic performance. Faculty and residents have reported the need for training in how to address and report microaggressions. Studies thus far have described approaches to upstander training but there is less of a focus on a program wide or institution wide response. In this workshop, we will describe our institutions' approaches to addressing microaggressions. Successful bystander training workshops for faculty and trainees will be highlighted. We will discuss different approaches to create safe and confidential methods to report microaggressions that they have experienced and/or witness. We will review different approaches to systematically analyze microaggression reports including how to create a centralized reporting system to help detect patterns across other disciplines or settings. We will review how we have categorized the data in order to best target interventions for microaggressions coming from patients, interdisciplinary staff, and physicians. Finally, we will discuss how to address reported microaggressions with a systematic approach that is supportive of the trainee and emphasizes re-education as opposed to shaming. This workshop will be interactive and will leverage the experiences of the participants to share additional ideas and approaches for data collection, data organization, and program level interventions.

Speakers

• Katie Suddarth, MD
• Julia Limes, MD
• Craig Noronha, MD
• John Donnelly, MD

Additional Information

Year Published: 2023 - APDIM Fall Meeting