Resources on Physician Sexual Misconduct, Professional Boundaries, Trauma, and Implicit Bias

In 2021, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 458, and Gov. Brian Kemp signed it into law. One of the provisions in the new law required the Board to "develop and identify educational resources and materials for physicians, board members, and board staff to support greater understanding of sexual misconduct, sexual boundaries, and impacts of trauma and implicit bias."

The following is a sample list of resources available to support greater understanding of sexual misconduct, professional boundaries, the impacts of trauma, and implicit bias. Inclusion herein does not indicate, nor is it to be interpreted as, an endorsement or guarantee of quality. Further, while some resources listed below are available free of charge, others may only be accessible through purchase.

Sexual misconduct, sexual/personal/professional boundaries:

• American Medical Association: Code of Medical Ethics: Sexual Boundaries
  Romantic or Sexual Relationships with Patients
  Romantic or Sexual Relationships with Key Third Parties
  Sexual Harassment in the Practice of Medicine
• American Medical Association: CME course: Boundaries for physicians
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Sexual Misconduct in the Physician-Patient Relationship
• Federation of State Medical Boards: Directory of Physician Assessment and Remedial Education Programs
• North Carolina Medical Board: Guidelines for Avoiding Misunderstandings During Patient Encounters and Physical Examinations
• University of Vermont: Mandatory Reporters and CSAs (Sample Reporting Guidelines)
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Online CME Course: Hazardous Affairs – Maintaining Professional Boundaries
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Boundary Violations Index

Trauma-related resources:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach
• National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine: How Trauma Impacts Four Different Types of Memory
• Frontiers in Psychiatry: Memory distortion for traumatic events: the role of mental imagery
• Government of Canada, Department of Justice: The Impact of Trauma on Adult Sexual Assault Victims
• National Institutes of Health: Trauma-Informed Medical Care: A CME Communication Training for Primary Care Providers
• Western Massachusetts Training Consortium: Trauma Survivors in Medical and Dental Settings
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Lifelong Consequences of Trauma
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Protecting Physician Wellness: Working With Children Affected by Traumatic Events
• Public Health Agency of Canada: Handbook on Sensitive Practice for Health Care Practitioners
• Psychiatric Times: CME: Treating Complex Trauma Survivors
• NHS Lanarkshire (Scotland): Trauma and the Brain (Video)
• London Trauma Specialists: Brain Model of PTSD - Psychoeducation Video

Implicit bias:

• Association of American Medical Colleges: Online Seminar: The Science of Unconscious Bias and What To Do About it in the Search and Recruitment Process
• Association of American Medical Colleges: Proceedings of the Diversity and Inclusion Innovation Forum: Unconscious Bias in Academic Medicine
• Association of American Medical Colleges: Exploring Unconscious Bias in Academic Medicine (Video)
• ASME Medical Education: Non-conscious bias in medical decision making: what can be done to reduce it?
• APHA: Patient Race/Ethnicity and Quality of Patient–Physician Communication During Medical Visits
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Achieving Health Equity: A Guide for Health Care Organizations
• BMC Medical Education: Training to reduce LGBTQ-related bias among medical, nursing, and dental students and providers: a systematic review
• American Psychological Association: CE - How does implicit bias by physicians affect patients' health care?
• Joint Commission: Implicit bias in health care
• Oregon Medical Board: Cultural Competency – A Practical Guide for Medical Professionals
• StratisHealth: Implicit Bias in Health Care (Quiz)
• Medscape: Clinical Advances in Elevating Health Equity

Another provision in House Bill 458 stipulates that "all physicians shall be required to receive one-time education and training, for a minimum of two hours, regarding professional boundaries and physician sexual misconduct." The education options linked below are provided as a courtesy for physicians who are curious about what CME meets the requirements mentioned above. While some resources listed below are available free of charge, others may only be accessible through purchase. This list below is not exhaustive; education and training meeting these requirements may include but are not limited to:

• https://pbieducation.com/courses/dr-2/
• https://www.emedevents.com/online-cme-courses/webcasts/georgia-composite-medical-board-mandatory-topic-course-bundle-for-physicians (This option also includes three hours on prescribing)
• https://www.magmutual.com/sexual-misconduct-strategies-to-minimize-risk-part-1/
  https://www.magmutual.com/sexual-misconduct-strategies-to-minimize-risk-part-2/ (both parts 1&2)
• https://www.elitelearning.com/physician/courses/guidance-on-professional-boundaries-and-sexual-misconduct/?state=GA