Young Physicians Understanding the Conspiracy of Silence
Date
2021-08
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Publisher
MAPC, The University of Tampa
Abstract
The conspiracy of silence is a phenomenon believed in the law community involving physicians remaining quiet and not testifying against other
physicians in medical malpractice cases. Existing research shows that physicians hesitate when asked to testify against each other in a court of
law. Five physicians aged 25 to 30 were interviewed over Zoom and were asked questions regarding the ethics of testifying and their stances
on the subject. The researcher hypothesized younger physicians will have a different view on the ethics of testifying than older physicians in
that they believe younger physicians do not respect their elders as much as the previous generation. The results reflect that these young
physicians did not have a strong education on malpractice law from their medical schools and are most likely to not testify against another
doctor in a court of law due to the harm of their relationships with fellow physicians. This study suggests researchers should take note of the
small sample size and the lack of diversity for future research. A larger sample size would draw a stronger conclusion.
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Keywords
Malpractice, Conspiracy of silence, Physicians, Youth, Ethics