USA Gymnastics & Michigan State University Sexual Abuse Scandal: A Medical Student’s Role

For the past several days, people all over the world have watched in shock and horror as woman after woman has testified in a courtroom to the abuse each one suffered at the hands of a former USA Gymnastics, United States Olympic Committee, and Michigan State University doctor. It is obvious in hearing even one of these women’s statements that this criminal used his status as a doctor for his own personal gain and, along the way, violated nearly every principle of Medical Ethics set forth by the American Medical Association. These violations are egregious, but another detail should stand out to those involved in medical education. Throughout the statements, multiple witnesses remarked that the man sent medical students out of the room so he could freely abuse his young female patients. This begs the question: what could or should a medical student could have done?

Some may dismiss this line of thought, saying this criminal was an outlier among medical professionals. However, a 2015 article in Annals of Internal Medicine suggests otherwise. This disturbing essay details two cases of inappropriate conduct by physicians while in contact with a patient’s genitalia that medical students observed and felt forced to participate in. [1] In response to this article, some physicians said, “‘[There are things] I can't forgive myself for, simply because I was in that space when they happened.’ Others recalled with embarrassment their own hesitant laughter, lamenting missed opportunities to confront impropriety.” [2] Though medical students are not yet physicians, they still have a duty to act in the best interest of their patients. Failure to do so violates patient autonomy in addition to the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. These core ethical principles should be carried by medical students into all patient encounters and applied to any and all patient interactions, whether the student is performing a procedure and observing one. Medical schools should have in place clear and accessible procedures to report misconduct and should take steps that empower students to take action when they see inappropriate behavior or violations of their patients’ rights and dignity.

The physician-patient bond is sacred and should always be built on a cornerstone of trust. By failing to speak up when they witness behavior that is wrong, medical students weaken that foundation. We must hold our mentors, our faculty, and ourselves accountable for our choices, actions, and inaction. We can do better—in fact, we must.

[1] Our Family Secrets. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:321. doi: 10.7326/M14-2168

[2] Sgro, G., MD, Gladwin, M. T., MD, Teng, A., MD, Moghe, A., MD, PhD, & Zimmer, S. M., MD. (2015, August 26). Our Family Secrets: Comments. Retrieved January 25, 2018.