Discrimination experienced by medical students and physicians

Dear participant, 

we are very grateful that you are taking the time to complete our questionnaire.

DISCRIMINATION happens when an individual or a certain group of people are treated differently or worse (than others) because of their race, national or ethnic origin, skin color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or gender expression. 

It is also a discriminatory act when an individual or a certain group of people are treated differently or worse (than others) because of their disability, age, marital and family status, economic and social situation. 

SO…

WHY THIS QUESTIONNAIRE?

The purpose of this study is to investigate global experiences of discrimination during medical school and while working as a doctor to make discrimination visible, raise awareness and push further research and action against it.

WHO IS “WE”?

We are a diverse, multidisciplinary research group at the University Hospital of Cologne (Germany). Initiated by the Department of Visceral Surgery this study is conducted in cooperation with the Vice Deanery for Academic Development and Gender, the Vice Deanery for Teaching and Studies and the Association of International Medical Students UoC (AIMS).

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Every medical student and physician worldwide can participate in this study.

DOES MY PARTICIPATION MATTER?

Yes! As discrimination is a huge problem worldwide, we hope that a larger number of participants from different countries will give us a better and global picture of discrimination in medical school and working as a doctor. As experiences of discrimination can vary widely, every single questionnaire matters. If you would like to support us in addition to completing the questionnaire yourself, please send the link to the questionnaire to your fellow students or colleagues.

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO CONSIDER?

DESCRIPTION: You will be asked to answer several questions about your own personal experience with discrimination based on your ethnicity, race, your gender and your sexual orientation. Please complete the study only once to avoid distortion of the results.

DURATION: The questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete.

TRIGGER WARNING: The questions in this questionnaire may bring back memories about stressful events in your past and may reactivate traumatic experiences. 

RIGHT TO DISCONTINUE PARTICIPATION: You are free to discontinue your participation in this study at any time. To discontinue participation, just close the window of your web browser. 

CONFIDENTIALITY AND ETHICS: This survey is anonymous.  Your name will not appear anywhere in this study; all of your responses will be recorded anonymously. All information you provide will be held in the strictest of confidence. Results from this research will be reported as aggregate data and kept for 10 years.  In order to avoid the unlikely case of a singling out, i.e. a search for individual person by combining several pieces of information, in the course of the evaluation and subsequent publication, anonymity is guaranteed by aggregating several participants. Should this not be possible, the participant will be removed from the published data set.  There is no external funding. Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Cologne.

PARTICIPATION: Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. You are not obligated to participate. Please answer freely without too much though t. There are no wrong answers

INFORMED CONSENT: I have read the description, including the purpose of the study, the procedures to be used, the potential risks and benefits, the confidentiality, as well as the option to withdraw from the study at any time. By clicking "Next" below, I am indicating that I freely agree to participate in this study.  

This survey is primarily designed to be answered in English. Otherwise, the meaning could be lost in translation.