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

This cross-sectional study was a first to attempt to assess how biases towards age, gender and sexual orientation differ during the years of undergraduate medical education.

600 medical students from the first, third and sixth year of study participated in the study. Three questionnaires were used: The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory scale (ASI), the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) and the Homophobia scale (HSc).

Results showed statistical significant differences between the three groups in the total scores of ageism and homophobia. Students in the last year of studies reported more ageist and more homophobic biases than students in the first year of their studies.

Our results demonstrate a need for education to reduce/address/mitigate bias in medical students. Τhe finding that biases increase in students who are farther along in their education needs further investigation. This warrants particular attention to determine if this is a change due to the medical education process itself.

Medical education should teach students about diversity and acceptability with updated curriculums and designed interventions.