Archaic perspectives in modern medicine: have you perpetuated these perspectives?

In recent years, there has been a deeper understanding of pathology, pathophysiology and treatment; As well as cutting edge technology against many diseases, but it is also clear that it is not possible to replace thinking and attitude with knowledge.

Why is this still seen as normal? cases of abuse of powerHarassment and threats towards medical students and residents?

The medical world has always had a hierarchical structure, but these limits of power, unfortunately, give room for the violence they cause and this is not a new issue. However, it appears to be a problem perpetuating this type of behavior.

When a young man enters to study medicine, he knows that difficult and complicated years await him; This work/business is full of challenges and sacrifices; The biggest dilemma is when one of the biggest challenges is to survive, where the conversation borders on irony.

Well, they have to defend their integrity, your mental and physical healthIn the context of structural violence, along with strict working and educational conditions, which can clearly reduce the empathy of these professionals, a factor vital to the healing relationship/patient or doctor/student.

the pandemic was a factor that emphasized health systems declineAbuse of doctors in training, including long working hours, lack of effective complaints mechanism, lack of supplies and personnel, as well as inadequate pay or scholarships. Aspects that drive many professionals to develop burnout or burnout syndromeIn which some cases of suicide are included in the documentary Resist Resident made by Symbiosis and Medu in 2021.

instead of breaking up with it cycle of aggression and violenceThese acts are overlooked or minimized in the day-to-day operations of hospitals, using statements such as:

“They Can’t Stand Anything”

“In my time I would have kept you a week”

“Are you going to accuse me?”

among many others, with various Threats and types of violence, Which, in turn, has allowed generations educated by violence, and those most likely to repeat same teaching method,

And we should talk about the famous “hedging” of resident doctors at Talnepantala Regional Hospital, a case that was reported in October 2021 in Reforma newspaper.

Said reports highlight physical aggression, such as suffocation, tying or so-called “chokrol” (in which one resident is wrapped in a blanket while others beat him) and the attacks on people of lower rank by residents of traumatology and orthopedics. Psychological violence..

This was already communicated to their superiors, as is often the case, without obtaining adequate response from the officers; According to the report, the situation exposed at times by several people involved.

Attacking has been normalized, is this perhaps the only way to transmit knowledge?

It is worth evaluating the structural conditions of the system that encourage this type of systematic and already established behavior.

A study conducted in Jalisco this year found that suicide is the second leading cause of death among medical residents in our country. This is related to job dissatisfaction, burnout syndrome (which occurs in 50% of residents), depersonalization, anxiety, insomnia and the presence of somatic symptoms. Studies show that the risk of suicide increases from 1.9% to 7.4% after the first six months of starting a residency.

This problem not only affects doctors, as patient care may also be affected. Sleep deprivation, stress, depression, poor diet and anxiety alter doctors’ ability to concentrate, learn and clinical skills, putting their health and that of patients at risk.

Despite being a very important issue, available records or evidence are scarce and measures to deal with it are almost non-existent. Knowing, identifying and documenting this problem will allow more information to be obtained to generate solutions later, which is what is needed to comply as a medical society.

Source consulted here.