Cheating in Medical School: The Unacknowledged Ailment

Abstract: The reported prevalence of cheating among US medical students ranges from 0% to 58%. Cheating behaviors include copying from others, using unauthorized notes, sharing information about observed structured clinical encounters, and dishonesty about performing physical examinations on patients. Correlates of cheating in medical school include prior cheating behavior, burnout, and inadequate understanding about what constitutes cheating. Institutional responses include expulsion, reprimands, counseling, and peer review. Preventing cheating requires establishing standards for acceptable behavior, focusing on learning rather than assessment, involving medical students in peer review, and creating a culture of academic integrity. Cheating in medical school may have serious long-term consequences for future physicians. Institutions should develop environments that promote integrity

Addressing unprofessional behaviors in the clinical learning environment: lessons from a multi-year virtual, intergenerational, interdisciplinary workshop

ABSTRACTIntroduction Optimizing the clinical learning environment (CLE) is a medical education priority nationwide.Materials and Methods We developed a virtual, one-hour workshop engaging students, housestaff and faculty in small-group discussions of five case scenarios adapted from reported unprofessional behaviors in the CLE, plus didactics regarding mistreatment, microaggressions and bystander interventions.Results Over two sessions (2021–2022), we engaged 340 students and 73 faculty/housestaff facilitators. Post-session surveys showed significant improvement in participants’ ability to recognize and respond to challenges in the CLE.Discussion Our innovative workshop, including scenarios derived from institutional reports of unprofessional behaviors, advanced participants’ knowledge and commitment to improve the CLE