Sexual health curricula in U.S. medical schools: current educational objectives

The authors identify the explicit and implicit objectives that shape decisions about what medical schools teach regarding human sexuality.

The authors reviewed relevant articles in journals, physician licensing examinations, and publications by professional organizations to identify learning objectives for human sexuality in undergraduate medical curricula.

There is consensus about many of the attitudinal objectives and some of the skills medical students should acquire in sexual health. There is less consensus on the sexuality-related information student physicians need to master. The few common informational objectives focus narrowly on diagnosing sexual dysfunction and disease.

The model sexual health curricula, licensing exams, and guidelines from professional organizations mainly focus on the pathological aspects of sexuality. Student physicians should master fundamental information on healthy sexual function and become familiar with the roles of practitioners in various therapeutic disciplines in addressing sexual concerns and enhancing patients' sexual functioning and well-being. Instruction should also address ways to incorporate this important topic in time-limited interactions with patients.