You may have already seen this article on your home screen as you opened your MacBook to hash out todays tweet, or perhaps read it from a physical newspaper (wait, do those exist anymore?)
WIN NSW Co-founder Associate Professor Theresa Jacques has just graced the pages of the Sydney Morning Herald, in an article describing the high prevalence of bullying and discrimination within intensive care medicine. The article outlines the results of the recent CCR article authored by CICM, in which 12% of trainees report experiences of discrimination, and 3% of trainees sexual harassment.
A/ Prof Theresa Jacques. Photo credit: SMH/ James Alcock
Responses from the ICM community have ranged from dismissing the study as insignificant to revising the accreditation process. Certainly the results, whilst perhaps surprising, have strengthened the results of previous studies that hint at imbalances within the ICM academic world.
Professor Jacques goes on to highlight that the key forward is passionate leadership, stating that “We’re going to need male champions”. Certainly, support from all levels of the College will be required to change the current culture (shout out to all the men who have supported WIN over the past few months).
The article is an important win (pun intended) for the advocacy of women, as well as other underrepresented groups, within intensive care medicine. The appearance of this issue in mainstream media further highlights that even the general public can appreciate how incongruous the presence of bullying, harassment and discrimination are with the benevolent principles of medicine.