Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical trainees are experiencing ‘appalling’ rates of racism, according to a longitudinal survey.
Results of the 2024 Medical Training Survey (MTS) also reveal more than 1,000 trainees (5%) reported experiencing and/or witnessing sexual harassment.
One third of trainees (33%) reported having experienced and/or witnessed bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and/or racism, spiking to 54% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees and 44% of interns.
Medical Board of Australia Chair, Dr Anne Tonkin AO, said 38% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees reported experiencing or witnessing racism, compared to 17% of other trainees.
“I am appalled by what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees report. Clearly, our efforts to strengthen cultural safety in medicine and the health system more widely are urgent and well targeted. Our health system and our community need to do better,” Dr Tonkin said.
“There is no place for bullying, discrimination, racism, sexual harassment or other forms of harassment in medicine or in any civil society.”
Dr Tonkin said there was no excuse for the lack of professionalism and respect reported by trainees.
The MTS report revealed that 29% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees and about 19% of all trainees are considering a career outside of medicine. Dr Tonkin said this is concerning, given Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical practitioners are key agents in providing culturally safe healthcare to Indigenous communities.
There is no place for bullying, discrimination, racism, sexual harassment or other forms of harassment in medicine or in any civil society
Further Insights
The report also pointed to the need to address wider community attitudes around respect for medical trainees, with 49% of GP trainees and 54% of interns reporting that patients and their families were the most common source of unprofessional behaviour.
The MTS also provided insights on the financial burden of medical training with 62% of trainees reporting that the financial cost of their college training program had led to stress and 16% indicating cost had been a barrier to progressing their training.
On the positive side, 81% of interns reported that their medical school prepared them well for medical training and 68% of trainees agreed/strongly agreed that their college supported flexible training arrangements.
The MTS is a longitudinal survey conducted by the Medical Board of Australia that tracks the quality of medical training. The Medical Board said data from past years is being used across the health sector to guide improvements in medical training.
