Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Involving Surgical Residents.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Medical malpractice litigation against surgical residents is rarely discussed owing to assumed legal doctrine of respondeat superior, or "let the master answer."

Objective

To better understand lawsuits targeting surgical trainees to prevent future litigation.

Design, setting, and participants

Westlaw, an online legal research database containing legal records from across the United States, was retrospectively reviewed for malpractice cases involving surgical interns, residents, or fellows from January 1, 2005, to January 1, 2015. Infant-related obstetric and ophthalmologic procedures were excluded.

Exposures

Involvement in a medical malpractice case.

Main outcomes and measures

Data were collected on patient demographics, case characteristics,

SUBMITTER: Thiels CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5833625 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature