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To characterize errors made by medical trainees (interns, residents, and fellows), investigators examined a random sample of closed malpractice claims from five insurance companies serving diverse geographical areas of the U.S. For cases that occurred during 1979 to 2001, investigators used four previously tested instruments to determine the presence of injury, the factors that contributed to the injury, and whether the injury was due to error.
Of 889 cases with both injury and error, 240 were deemed to have had significant involvement of trainees. Cognitive factors, including “lack of technical competence or knowledge,” were involved in 95% of cases. Lack of supervision, by both attending physicians and senior residents, was judged to be a …