Good Samaritan Laws and Graduate Medical Education: A Tristate Survey

Objective: To assess the awareness of Good Samaritan laws among residents and fellows and the factors affecting the likelihood of a physician-in-training performing a Good Samaritan act.

Participants and methods: A survey was distributed via official e-mail to Mayo Clinic residents and fellows at Mayo Clinic's 3 locations: Rochester, Minnesota; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida. The survey was open from August 4 to 25, 2015, at the Arizona and Florida sites and from August 10 to 31, 2015, at the Minnesota site. Responses were collected anonymously and analyzed, using descriptive statistics and regression models.

Results: The survey was sent to 1591 trainees and 19.7% (313) responded. Nearly half the respondents (49%) experienced a medical emergency that required assistance by a medically trained person and reported that increased medicolegal knowledge would increase their likelihood of helping (47%). Almost all (93.6%) felt that awareness of the Good Samaritan laws was essential for a medical professional and reported a need for further education to increase their knowledge (89.3%).

Conclusion: Residents and fellows asked for education about Good Samaritan laws and suggested that such education may increase their likelihood of helping in medical emergencies.