Pimping in Medical Education: Lacking Evidence and Under Threat

Medical student harassment and mistreatment have become topics of increasing concern to a wide range of stakeholders in US medical education.^1,2 In this context, traditional methods of bedside teaching, particularly the time-honored “pimping” of medical students and house staff,³ have recently come under scrutiny.⁴ In this Viewpoint, we define pimping, briefly summarize the evidence base for and against pimping, discuss pimping in the context of medical student mistreatment, and outline future directions.