Medical students’ perception of behaviors in the clinical learning environment evolve with increasing clinical exposure as measured with situational video vignettes

This cross-sectional study involved matriculating, mid-level and graduating medical students (n = 723) who participated in specific transition courses in our medical school curriculum between August 2016 and March 2019. We used a mixed-methods approach (survey and analysis of narrative comments) to study the evolution in perception of the learning environment by medical students with increasing clinical exposure using four different video vignettes. Differences in student perceptions of mistreatment exists at various levels of training. Compared to graduating students, matriculating students were more likely to perceive reprimanding a student on being late as appropriate behavior (80.5% vs 53.3%, p = 0.001), whereas a significantly higher proportion of the graduating students (15.3%, p = 0.001) perceived it as mistreatment. A majority of the matriculating students (84%, p = 0.001) considered the case of an eager student as mistreatment, while a significantly higher proportion of the graduating students (59.5%, p = 0.001) did not think it was mistreatment. Qualitative analysis of comments from students at different stages of training displayed an increased appreciation of their professional responsibilities and nuanced appreciation of body language and tone as contributing factors in determining whether a situation represented inappropriate behavior. Our results demonstrate that students’ perceptions of inappropriate behaviors evolve with increased clinical exposure.