LIMITLESS Leaders Toolkit: Navigating Bias, Power & Professional Risk-Sexual Harassment & Misconduct

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This podcast episode of <em>Limitless Leaders</em> focuses on sexual harassment and misconduct in surgical training and practice. Hosted by Dr. Donna Tepper, the discussion features Dr. Wendy Chen and Dr. Lisa Wu, who share personal experiences, research findings, and advice for responding to inappropriate behavior.

The guests define sexual harassment as unwelcome verbal, physical, or visual sexual behavior that creates discomfort or interferes with work. They emphasize that it can come from superiors, peers, subordinates, patients, or non-physician staff, and that it affects all genders. A major theme is the “gray zone” of behavior that may be hard to label but still feels wrong.

Dr. Chen presents research showing underreporting, rising recognition, and that assault/coercion remains low but unacceptable. Both speakers stress that fear of retaliation and power imbalances keep people silent. They recommend validating concerns, documenting incidents, seeking support, using institutional reporting pathways, and involving allies or leadership when safe.

The episode concludes with a call for culture change: “see something, say something,” support victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and make the environment safer for everyone.

Keywords

sexual harassment

surgical training

misconduct

workplace harassment

underreporting

power imbalance

retaliation

reporting pathways

culture change