Lawsuit Filed By Female Resident

[2021Doctor]

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FARGO — A female medical resident claims in a federal lawsuit that she was sexually harassed by her physician supervisor and that the University of North Dakota and Sanford Health discriminated and retaliated against her after she filed a complaint.

The lawsuit, filed by Dr. Fiona Axelsson in U.S. District Court in Fargo on Monday, April 4, accuses Dr. Jason Myrmoe, her residency supervisor at Sanford Health, of repeatedly sexually harassing her during a period of eight months.

Doctor accuses UND and Sanford of discrimination, retaliation after she alleged sexual harassment

Dr. Fiona Axelsson alleged continued sexual harassment by her supervisor in a medical residency program, and accuses UND and Sanford of discriminating and retaliating against her after she filed harassment complaints. Sanford said it will "vigorously" defend itself.

www.inforum.com

 

[wholeheartedly]

Paywalled. Bummer

 

[wholeheartedly]

According to this article they investigated (eventually) a found her claims credible and he was removed from the program director position.

UPDATE: Sexual harassment lawsuit against Sanford, UND partially dismissed

Court records also say multiple other women came forward with similar accusations.

www.valleynewslive.com

 

[Iamnew2]

According to this article they investigated (eventually) a found her claims credible and he was removed from the program director position.

UPDATE: Sexual harassment lawsuit against Sanford, UND partially dismissed

Court records also say multiple other women came forward with similar accusations.

www.valleynewslive.com

Sadly this is not uncommon. We had serious issues in our residency with a number of male attendings, eventually there was a massive investigation where all residents and faculty both male and female were questioned, the inpatient med director was removed, the program director changed, and the chair stopped being the chair not too much afterwards. Medicine can be so toxic - and sexist comments of you are too emotional, take it easy, you are too serious, you are too pretty to be a doctor, etc etc - all too common sadly.

 

[DrMetal]

you are too pretty to be a doctor

Which was often said to me . . . NEVER! (too serious, too angry . . . all the time)

 

[FutureInternist]

The power differential, the fact that even one bad grade can doom a resident (or med student’s) chances at their preferred spot, the (usually) lack of any evidence, make this ripe for exploitation (much like religious figures).

 

[PerioDont]

Am I reading this right, she was hospitalized from April to august? That’s a really long time.

Hope she can heal and move on from such a horrid experience

 

[hippieskippy]

Despite the obvious power imbalance in favor of residency programs, people will still default to siding with residency programs when a resident faces disciplinary action.

Good on Dr. Axelsson for standing up for herself. I hate this system.