Chaikof Michael, Bodley Janet, Farrugia Michele, Tannenbaum Evan, White Bobbie Ann Adair
is Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, and Staff Urogynecologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, and Chief, DAN Women & Babies Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J Grad Med Educ. 2024 Dec;16(6):684-690. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-24-00153.1. Epub 2024 Dec 13.
Gossip is a ubiquitous sociocultural phenomenon serving many functions in human interactions, including in workplace and academic settings. Gossip can have profound positive and negative impacts; however, its impact on medical residents and their learning environment is unknown. To understand the function and impact of workplace gossip-from and about colleagues and supervisors-on medical residents' experiences in their learning environment. This exploratory study used principles of constructivist grounded theory. Data were collected from residents in the obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry programs at a large academic institution via semistructured interviews in 2021. Seven residents were interviewed. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive coding, and themes were identified. Thematic analysis revealed perceived positive and negative impacts of gossip. Perceived positive impacts included affirmation and roadmapping. Perceived negative impacts included anxiety/fear and the role of gossip in reinforcing the educational hierarchy. Other themes, which are perceived to have both positive and negative impacts, included the role of gossip in learning and in group status. The identity of the gossiper, audience, and subject of gossip also impacted its effects. Gossip between residents about faculty members was perceived as roadmapping, or an affirming role, whereas gossip involving faculty members created anxiety and reinforced negative aspects of the hierarchy. Workplace gossip serves both positive and negative roles within the medical learning environment. It can function as informal debriefing and can also threaten psychological safety. Its impact on residents is affected by the identities of the gossiper, subject, and audience.
流言蜚语是一种普遍存在的社会文化现象，在包括职场和学术环境在内的人际互动中发挥着多种作用。流言蜚语可能会产生深远的积极和消极影响；然而，其对住院医师及其学习环境的影响尚不清楚。为了了解职场中关于同事和上级的流言蜚语对住院医师在学习环境中的经历所产生的作用和影响。这项探索性研究采用了建构主义扎根理论的原则。2021年，通过半结构化访谈，从一所大型学术机构的妇产科和精神病学项目的住院医师那里收集了数据。采访了7名住院医师。使用归纳编码对访谈记录进行分析，并确定了主题。主题分析揭示了流言蜚语的积极和消极影响。感知到的积极影响包括肯定和指引方向。感知到的消极影响包括焦虑/恐惧以及流言蜚语在强化教育等级制度方面的作用。其他被认为具有积极和消极影响的主题包括流言蜚语在学习和群体地位方面的作用。流言蜚语者、听众和流言主题的身份也会影响其效果。住院医师之间关于教职员工的流言蜚语被认为具有指引方向或肯定的作用，而涉及教职员工的流言蜚语则会引发焦虑并强化等级制度的负面方面。职场流言蜚语在医学学习环境中既发挥积极作用，也发挥消极作用。它可以起到非正式汇报的作用，也可能威胁心理安全。其对住院医师的影响受到流言蜚语者、主题和听众身份的影响。
