
The Curbsiders Teach #56 To Err is Human: Best Practices for Leading Morbidity and Mortality Conferences with Dr. Matthew Clark and Dr. John Erickson
Jul 30, 2025
Dr. John Erickson and Dr. Matthew Clark, both hospitalists at Maine Medical Center, redefine Morbidity and Mortality conferences. They emphasize the importance of psychological safety in discussions about medical errors. By sharing personal anecdotes, they illustrate how M&Ms can foster growth instead of shame. They also provide strategic insights on structuring these conferences, engaging residents, and turning learnings into systemic change, all while nurturing a supportive culture in medical training.
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Building Psychological Safety
- Create a culture of psychological safety by modeling openness and being proactive about challenges in M&M.
- Emphasize uncertainty in medicine and avoid blame; support collaborative learning instead.
Resident-Led Case Selection & Invitations
- Let residents choose cases that impacted them personally and empower them to invite relevant stakeholders.
- Maintain an open audience including faculty, leadership, risk management, and ethics for broader system impact.
Structured M&M Prep Week
- Use an M&M prep week for residents to identify harms, discussion points, and stakeholder meetings.
- Encourage creating a timeline and clear goals blending clinical, process, and system learning objectives.







