Biases towards different patients groups. How do they differ during medical education?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Social Psychology
• Healthcare Disparities

Background:

• Undergraduate medical education aims to train competent and unbiased healthcare professionals.
• Existing research has not comprehensively assessed the evolution of age, gender, and sexual orientation biases throughout medical school.
• Understanding bias development is crucial for addressing healthcare disparities and improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how biases related to age, gender, and sexual orientation change during undergraduate medical education.
• To compare bias levels among first-year, third-year, and final-year medical students.
• To identify potential correlations between academic progression and the development of specific biases.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 600 medical students across three academic years (first, third, and sixth year).
• Utilized validated questionnaires: Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), and Homophobia Scale (HSc).
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare bias scores across different student cohorts.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were observed in ageism and homophobia scores between the student groups.
• Final-year medical students exhibited higher levels of ageist and homophobic biases compared to first-year students.
• No significant differences were reported for sexism scores across the academic years.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a need for targeted educational interventions to mitigate bias in medical students.
• The observed increase in ageism and homophobia with academic progression warrants further investigation into the medical education process itself.
• Curriculum updates focusing on diversity and acceptance are recommended to foster more equitable healthcare providers.