Medical liability of the physician in training

Abstract

Background: Lawsuits alleging medical negligence by postgraduate physicians in training (residents) arise from treatment received by aggrieved patients at teaching hospitals. A threshold question in determining liability is whether or not the standard of care has been violated. Courts have questioned whether the proper standard governing resident physician conduct should be that of a reasonably competent generalist physician, that of a specialty physician, or whether the standard should be some subjective determination that addresses the resident level of training.

Questions/purposes: We examined legal cases in which the standard of care for a physician in training has been questioned. Additionally, we address how resident conduct can extend liability to supervising physicians and employer hospitals.

Methods: Westlaw and LexisNexis, two major legal databases used by law professionals, were searched to identify existing case law and law review articles related to the standard of care that applies to physicians in training. Of 57 sources initially identified, 15 legal cases and 10 law review papers addressed the standard of care pertaining to physicians in training. These selected cases and papers form the basis of the present article.

Results: The standard by which the professional conduct of a physician in training is measured has varied; most recent legal cases have applied a specialty physician standard. Relevant court rulings have tried to strike a balance between patient interests versus the societal need to train physicians.

Conclusions: Physician representation, nature of conduct, and extent of supervision of that conduct are relevant factors used by courts to determine liability. However, the recent standards are those of the physician who directly supervises the professional conduct of a resident in a given situation.