Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical trainees report experiencing and/or witnessing racism at more than double the rate of colleagues, the latest Medical Training Survey (MTS) has found.
The survey also found that almost 30 per cent of Indigenous medical trainees were are considering a career outside of medicine.
The majority (54 per cent) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees reported having experienced and/or witnessed bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and/or racism.
Overall, one third of trainees (33 per cent) reported the same. The figure was 44 per cent among interns.
More than half Australia's doctors in training (nearly 25,000 trainees) participated in the 2024 MTS.
Medical Board of Australia Chair, Dr Anne Tonkin AO, said 38 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees reported experiencing or witnessing racism, compared to 17 per cent of other trainees.
"I am appalled by what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees report. Clearly, our efforts to strengthen cultural safety in medicine and the health system more widely are urgent and well targeted. Our health system and our community need to do better," Dr Tonkin said.
"There is no place for bullying, discrimination, racism, sexual harassment or other forms of harassment in medicine or in any civil society."
Dr Tonkin said there was no excuse for the lack of professionalism and respect reported by trainees.
The 2024 MTS results revealed 29 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees are considering a career outside of medicine. AHPRA and the Medical Board said this is "particularly concerning" when it's recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical practitioners are key agents in the provision of culturally safe healthcare to people within their communities.
There was also good news in the 2024 MTS results, with the national quality of trainee supervision, orientation, teaching, education and training on patient safety again high.
The source of reported unprofessional behaviour varies between groups of trainees, with GP trainees (49 per cent) and interns (54 per cent) reporting that patients and their families were the most common source of unprofessional behaviour.
"MTS results anchor deficits in the culture of medicine firmly to wider community attitudes and behaviours," Dr Tonkin said.
"The MTS is now an annual feature in the medical training landscape and a credit to the trainees – most now specialists – who campaigned successfully for the Board to establish the MTS.
"The value of the MTS is rock solid. What remains is a challenge to our collective ability – and will – to apply MTS data to shape strategies for positive change."
The MTS is a longitudinal survey that tracks the quality of medical training. It was created for trainees, with trainees, after a successful campaign by trainees. Data from past years is being used across the health sector to guide improvements in medical training. Stringent privacy controls make it safe and confidential for trainees to take part.
The MTS is run by the Medical Board of Australia.
