The Department of Medicine is committed to ensuring a respectful and supportive learning environment. We recommend the following actions to ensure faculty and learners help foster a safe and enjoyable clinical experience.
Key Actions for Faculty and Trainees
1. Set Shared Expectations Early
- Invite learners to share their expectations of you and the team.
- State expectations out loud on day one:
- “We value curiosity over perfection. Questions are welcome and important for learning. We communicate in ways that are respectful, inclusive, and supportive.”
- Reinforce professional boundaries. Personal questions should be relevant to learning and respectful of privacy.
- Revisit expectations mid-rotation to check alignment and adjust as needed.
2. Get to Know Your Learners and Their Goals
- Make space early and often for learners to share their backgrounds, interests, and goals. Actively use what you learn to shape teaching opportunities, discussions, and expectations.
- Avoid assumptions based on learning level or personality. Focus on learning needs.
- Ask early:
- “What are you hoping to get out of this rotation?”
- “Anything you’re working on or nervous about?”
- Clarify feedback preferences (real-time vs scheduled discussion vs written).
3. Name the High-Stress Reality
- Acknowledge: “Stress happens—our goal is to keep it from becoming disrespect.”
- Normalize pausing and slowing down during busy moments.
- Use brief check-ins or “micro-debriefs” after chaotic events.
4. Make Help-Seeking Safe and Visible
- Clearly name a non-evaluative contact person for concerns.
- Student course manager: Heidi Pophal ([email protected])
- Residency program manager: ([email protected])
- Fellowship program administrator: ([email protected])
- Share anonymous reporting options: www.med.wisc.edu/education/mistreatment-discrimination-harassment-of-st…
- Reinforce: “You deserve a respectful learning environment.”
5. Practice Upstander Behavior
- Intervene when disrespect, bias, or exclusion occurs, whether from patients or team members.
- Use simple tools in the moment or afterward:
- Name it: “That came across differently than intended.”
- Redirect: “Let’s refocus on the learning goal.”
- Support the learner privately afterward.
6. Reduce Hierarchy in Everyday Actions
- Engage all team members intentionally—eye contact, positioning, invitations to speak.
- Ask junior learners to share reasoning, not just answers.
- Invite respectful disagreement: “What other viewpoints should we consider?”
- Treat learners as contributors to care and decision-making, acknowledging their contributions in real time.