Despite more female physicians in training than ever before, existing literature demonstrates the distressing reality that medical students continue to experience sexism in clinical settings. Research indicates that female medical students are more likely than male students to experience gender discrimination within evaluations, educational opportunities, and workplace relationships. Even though many medical students recognize sexism from patients as an issue, limited research exists on this topic. This study aims to quantify the extent to which medical students experience sexism from patients.

The survey, yielding 58 responses (41 female and 17 male), revealed that 91% of respondents recognized sexism as a problem medical students face in clinical rotations. Specifically, 93% of females and 24% of males responded that they have faced sexism from patients in clinical settings. 85% of female students report being frequently mistaken for a nurse or nursing student, despite clear role introductions. Only 18% of male students reported being mistaken for other healthcare roles and, specifically, 0% reported being mistaken for nursing staff. Moreover, 66% of female students and 35% of male students received comments on their appearance or family planning from patients. 63% of females and 18% of males were subjected to inappropriate or sexually suggestive patient comments. Frequency analysis revealed that 7% of female students encounter sexism from patients weekly, 41% monthly, 46% yearly, and 5% never. In contrast, 71% of male students report never experiencing sexism from patients and 29% experience sexism from patients yearly. No male students reported monthly, weekly, or daily occurrences. Respondents shared examples of sexism they experienced in the free response section of the survey. Female students described countless instances of being mistaken for nurses and enduring sexually suggestive remarks from patients. Notably, one male student described observing the gender disparity, stating he is often mistaken for a doctor, while his female colleagues are consistently assumed to be nurses.

In conclusion, although both male and female medical students experience sexism from patients, female students are disproportionately affected by gender discrimination. These findings highlight the need for systemic change and policies to safeguard students and foster inclusive learning environments. Recommendations for improvement include implementing badge tags that state “medical student,” in addition to educating faculty to recognize and support students facing gender discrimination from patients.