Does Physician's Training Induce Overconfidence That Hampers Disclosing Errors?

Purpose: Although transparency is critical for reducing medical errors, physicians feel discomfort with disclosure. We explored whether overconfidence relates to physician's reluctance to admit that an error may have occurred.

Method: At 3 university medical centers, a survey presented a clinical vignette of a girl with urinary infection and penicillin allergy to medical students and physicians, asking them to rate their level of confidence for each step of the diagnosis and management.