Patient Release
May 2022
Embedded Files
REFLECTION:
One thing I would've liked to have changed is the actual content of my research, including being able to conduct a statistical test to make statistical conclusions. However, since I wasn't able to get enough data, I was extremely grateful for other opportunities to get information, such as the additional interviews I was able to conduct.
I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to present in front of the entire class and a small group before my actual presentation date. This helped me to practice my presentation and also calm my nerves on my presentation day. I was able to feel more confident and comfortable on my research day because I had presented in front of many people before!
Those presentations in front of the class and in the small group also allowed me to get feedback to adapt and change my presentation in many ways. This allowed me to find better ways to explain my project and make sure I hit every point on the rubric.
Abstract:
Over the past 10 years, the number of malpractice cases has increased within the United States, with it, greatly impacting the mental health of medical professionals across the country. “The pandemic’s impact on physicians increases the risk of claims” and will continue to have impacts on the healthcare system (White). However, the topic of malpractice has very little research, leading to greater inquiry into what factors shape the increase in numbers of these cases and how it is impacting these surgeons.
According to the National Practitioner Data Bank, a credible, national source for information about malpractice cases, Colorado is ranked in the 4th quintile for malpractice cases, with 24.4 cases per every 100 thousand individuals. In comparison to the rest of the nation, Colorado is ranked as the 18th worst state for malpractice cases. (Mahoney). Not only does the increase in malpractice present a clear problem, but it introduces a clear need for research on this topic. Malpractice, in previous research and in this project, is defined as a lawsuit in which a patient sues a doctor that performs a procedure and feels the physician made a mistake that could’ve been avoided. This definition was determined by examining previous research about malpractice and the medical field. Rosenbaum, a lawyer who specializes in malpractice, found that 50% of malpractice cases that are filed involve a surgeon. Out of all of the physicians in the United States, 9% of them will face only one malpractice case, with the other 81% having more than one case or no cases at all (Steckman). However, there is little research done on the baseline averages of malpractice, making it difficult to understand why the numbers are increasing. In Rosenbaum’s study of malpractice, he delineates the connection between the job performance of healthcare professionals and lawsuits. He uses malpractice as a factor to measure job performance. This led to an increased interest in the elements that could influence the number of cases per surgeon. Further research on this topic created a connection to job satisfaction and how it impacts the job performance of these surgeons.
Job satisfaction, in this research, is defined as the amount of happiness and feeling of worth one gets from their job. This definition was derived from the previous research, more specifically a study done by Murphy, a prevalent and credible researcher in this field. Murphy found that 53% of surgeons reported that they are somewhat satisfied with their job, 24% are unsatisfied, and 23% are very satisfied (Halawani). These numbers describe a trend of lower job satisfaction for these surgeons, something that may have an impact on their job performance of surgeons.
MOVING FORWARD
I was able to submit my final academic paper for AP Research earlier this week! It was very exciting to be able to finalize all of my work throughout the entire year.
Next year, I will be attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I will be majoring in genetics and minoring in psychology and music.
I am hoping to be able to get into a genetic counseling master's program and become an inpatient genetic counselor with a specialty in pediactrics.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mrs. Dobos - Thank you so much for the incredible help throughout the year. Whenever I had difficulty figuring out the issues with my project or needed guidance, you were there to help me figure out. I am incredibly grateful for your wonderful teaching throughout this course.
Mr. Winkleman - Thank you for your help with the blog posts and finding a way to keep people around the community about my project and all of the work I have been doing!
Participants of my survey - I am so incredibly grateful for all of the help you gave will my research. Without your responses, I wouldn't be able to have done any of my research. Thank you so much for all of your help!
AP Research peers- Throughout the class the entire year, I was so grateful for all of the help with peer reviews and advice. Thank you for being so helpful the entire time!
Page updated
Report abuse