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Gender Diverse Representation in Patient Simulation: A Scoping Review
Luca N Petrey1, Emily J Noonan2, Laura A Weingartner3
1L.N. Petrey is a fourth-year medical student, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky; ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8406-9181 .
Summary
Medical education lacks guidance on portraying diverse gender identities in patient simulation. Most studies use cisgender actors, with underrepresentation of nonbinary individuals, highlighting a need for better recruitment and authentic representation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Health Equity
- Simulation-Based Learning
Background:
- Advocacy for transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) health competencies is increasing.
- Limited guidance exists for representing diverse gender identities in clinical skills training.
- Published literature is a key resource for educators making these decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize how medical education scholarship portrays TGNB identities in patient simulation.
- To identify gaps in the representation of TGNB identities in clinical skills training.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
- Searches included terms for diverse gender identities and patient simulation.
- A 3-tiered review process identified and extracted data from relevant studies.
Main Results:
- 22 of 44 reviewed studies involved TGNB simulated patient cases.
- Most cases (68%) reported mostly binary transgender identities, with a lack of nonbinary representation.
- Discrepancies were found between TGNB patient identities and the actors portraying them (45% match).
Conclusions:
- Medical education is increasingly incorporating TGNB identities into clinical skills training.
- There is a significant lack of nonbinary representation and authenticity in current simulations.
- Improved recruitment strategies within TGNB communities are needed for accurate and respectful training.
