Medicus April 2016

C O V E R S T O R Y

Dr Omar Khorshid AMA (WA) Vice President

Chair, Education and Training, Australian Orthopaedic Association Member, Board of Surgical Education and Training, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Head of Department, Fremantle Hospital

W hen vascular surgeon Dr Gabrielle McMullin called out the surgical profession on sexual harassment, I was shocked and upset by her claims. It seemed that she was being unnecessarily provocative. However, the survey conducted last year by the AMA (WA) demonstrates conclusively that we do have a problem with sexual harassment in the medical profession in Western Australia. The vast majority of conduct goes unreported and medical students, junior doctors and surgical trainees seem to be at the highest risk. We deliberately focused that survey on sexual harassment as we felt that inclusion of bullying and discrimination would dilute the results. But we are certain that the rates for bullying and discrimination would be even higher, as reflected in the survey by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). Whilst we have plenty of legislation requiring safe working environments, it is clear that the culture of our profession has permitted inappropriate (and illegal) conduct to occur. We hear that it is not worth it for an affected junior doctor to report harassment when it has occurred due to the small chance of meaningful action against the perpetrator and an almost inevitable risk to career progression.

as perpetrators of sexual harassment and bullying. The College has committed to action on this issue but my belief is that the responsibility for changing the culture of the medical profession needs to be borne by all members of the profession, and specific action is required from the AMA, employers, colleges and all of us. Most of us are aware of conduct that has occurred, but we seldom take action to call colleagues out on inappropriate conduct. Formal reports are vanishingly rare. One of the common excuses heard around surgeons who behave badly is that their conduct has to be accepted due to their technical skill as surgeons and the risk that we could lose their talents from our hospitals. As a trainer of surgeons, I have to say that any surgeon who has the poor judgement and lack of integrity to sexually harass or bully junior doctors or medical students cannot be regarded as a good surgeon and the likelihood is that this lack of professionalism will also manifest itself in behaviours that put patients at risk. The RACS has defined competencies of surgeons along the same lines as the CANMEDS roles and these domains can be applied to all doctors just as much as they can be applied to surgical trainees. Technical skill forms a small proportion of the skills, attributes and knowledge required to be a safe and competent doctor. Continued on page 32 As a trainer of surgeons, I have to say that any surgeon who has the poor judgement and lack of integrity to sexually harass or bully junior doctors or medical students cannot be regarded as a good surgeon. - DR OMAR KHORSHID

Much of the attention has been focused on the RACS and it does seem that surgeons are over represented

A P R I L 2 0 1 6 M E D I C U S 31