It's probably true. The AAMC does annual surveys (which are manditory at many schools), and this is one of the questions they ask. It tells you the extent to which inappropriate conduct still happens in the hospital training environment.
The football analogy doesn't work, and here's why. They aren't asking you about a time you screwed up and someone took you to task for it. That can be entirely appropriate, although the manner in which it is done isn't always. They're talking about times when you are harassed or belittled by your superiors for intrinic things about your person, or for doing or not doing something that you reasonably couldn't have been expected to do differently, in a manner that gives you no chance to defend yourself.
I haven't had this happen, although I've seen it (orthopedic surgeon to his intern) and it was totally inappropriate. It's behavior that clearly the superior does for two reasons.
1. It makes them feel powerful, and they like to make others feel that they are powerless.
2. They think that it is required part of induction to medical society, because it was done to them.
Most superiors are not like this, in the times I've been at the hospital. But it really makes it difficult to focus on learning and providing good service to your patients if someone feels entitled and enjoys making your life unnecessarily difficult.
