open access: (Canada) How the Medical Culture Contributes to Coworker-Perpetrated Harassment and Abuse of Family Physicians (includes patients, families, education system, co-workers)

How the Medical Culture Contributes to Coworker-Perpetrated Harassment and Abuse of Family Physicians


"At present, little is being undertaken to address the issue of abuse in the workplace of family physicians. The most worrisome finding from our study is that these kinds of practices are a part of the medical culture starting in medical school and carried out throughout medical training and into the work environment. This culture is supported by power imbalances, power structures, and such systemic issues as physician shortages. The criminological broken window theory is helpful to explain why abuse may be perpetuated in the medical system, and it also provides a context for an approach to address the issue."