Gender inequality and sexual harassment : a reality in medical school in 2022? – a Malta single-centre study

Abstract

Background. — Gender inequality and sexual harassment are rampant within medical schools and medical work environments. Gender inequality is defined as a ‘legal, social and cultural situation in which sex and/or gender determine different rights and dignity for women and men’ while sexual harassment is ‘behaviour characterized by the making of unwelcome and inappropriate sexual remarks or physical advances in a workplace or other professional or social situation.’ This study was conducted to establish the extent of gender inequality and sexual harassment in Malta’s only state medical school and to identify shortcomings of the support system.

Methods. — A literature-based anonymous questionnaire was formulated by the authors. The survey link was distributed among all medical students following the course of ‘Doctor of Medicine and Surgery ‘at the University of Malta during academic year 2021/2022. Statistical analyses were performed.

Results. — The authors obtained a total response rate of 14.35%. Of the 102 medical students that participated, the majority were women (67.65%; n = 69). More women (n = 69) who study medicine claim to have experienced instances of gender inequality compared to men (n = 33). Instances reported as gender inequality tended to occur during clinical practice and the perpetrators were mainly identified to be male medical doctors. Sexual harassment was reported by 12% of women and 3% men who participated in this study. This mostly occurred during clinical practice and was identified to have been carried out by male authority figures as well as colleagues. Most students who experienced sexual harassment as well as gender inequality claimed that they did not report this occurrence (81.25% CI95%: 53.69—95.03).