Evaluation of a gender-affirming healthcare curriculum for second-year medical students

Transgender medicine is an emergent subfield with clearly identified educational gaps.

This manuscript evaluates a gender-affirming healthcare curriculum for second-year medical (M2) students.

Students received a survey assessing Gender Identity Competency in terms of skills, knowledge and attitudes regarding transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) issues. The authors administered the survey before and after the delivery of the curriculum. The curriculum included five online modules, a quiz, a 3-hour case-based workshop and a 2-hour interactive patient-provider panel.

Approximately 60% of M2 students (n=77) completed both preassessments and postassessments. The following showed a statistically significant improvement from preassessment to postassessment: student Gender Identity Competency, t(76) = -11.07, p<0.001; skills, t(76) = -15.22, p<0.001; and self-reported knowledge, t(76) = -4.36, p<0.001. Negative attitudes did not differ (p=0.378). Interest in TGNC issues beyond healthcare settings did not change (p=0.334). M2 students reported a significant change in experience role-playing chosen pronouns in a clinical setting, t(76) = -8.95, p<0.001.

The curriculum improved students' gender-affirming medical competency, knowledge and skills. The development of a sustained, longitudinal curriculum is recommended in addition to the continuing education of faculty to reinforce this expanding knowledge and skills base and to address discomfort working with this population.