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Educator Studio Sessions

The Academy of Surgical Educators hosts a number of Educator Studio Sessions around Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand each year. Each session is a one-hour informative event, curated to help to provide a deeper understanding of the issues, themes and topics that matter. We are leading the way in surgical education.

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Educator Studio Sessions 2023

Wednesday 15 November 2023 

Topic: What is the nature, extent and impact of bullying in surgical settings? Insights of surgeons in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

A significant body of literature has examined the impact of verbal and non-verbal bullying in surgical settings, where a central focus has been on the experiences of trainee and junior members of the surgical team, women in surgery and other health professionals, such as nurses.  Research on how surgeons’ perceive or experience bullying is more limited.  Therefore, this study aims to investigate the views of surgeons on negative and disrespectful verbal and non-verbal behaviour and bullying in surgical settings, including its impact on surgeons themselves and the surgical staff they oversee.

Presenter: Paul Gretton-Watson

Time: 6.00 – 7.00pm AEDT

About the presenter: Paul has over two decades of experience in the field of workplace behaviour and anti-bullying initiatives. His expertise in high conflict personalities and workplace behaviour led to his invitation to collaborate on the early phases of development and assessment of the pilot Operating with Respect (OWR) anti-bullying training program, which was launched by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) in 2016-17 and subsequently rolled out across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in 2018-19.  Paul is currently immersed in doctoral studies, with a dedicated focus on exploring the contemporary landscape of workplace behaviour and bullying in surgery. His research endeavours include an exploration of the root causes driving bullying behaviour and an examination of its far-reaching consequences. Moreover, he has been actively evaluating the efficacy of the OWR training program and various interventions initiated by RACS and employers since 2015, contributing significantly to the advancement of workplace respect and safety.

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Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points

This educational activity has been approved in the College's CPD program. Fellows who participate can claim one point per hour (maximum of two points) in Category 3 - Maintenance of Knowledge and Skills. For those with a RACS CPD requirement this activity will be automatically uploaded to your record.