Interactive Session for Residents and Medical Students on Dermatologic Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Despite increasing emphasis on LGBTQ health in medical education, evidence-based training on LGBTQ patient care in dermatology is lacking. We designed an interactive online didactic session on dermatologic care of LGBTQ patients for medical students and dermatology residents. Methods: Session content was based on continuing medical education articles and incorporated preexisting LGBTQ-inclusive policies, environments, and videos. We implemented the session via a web-based videoconferencing platform as part of a preexisting resident lecture series. We began with a 90-minute lecture on LGBTQ health care disparities and dermatologists' roles, best practices for providing inclusive care, and dermatologic health concerns and screening recommendations in LGBTQ populations. To solidify knowledge and promote practice of learned skills, a 30-minute interactive role-playing session followed where participants acted as observer, patient, or provider in three distinct clinical scenarios pertaining to dermatologic care of LGBTQ patients. Participants completed baseline and follow-up surveys, which included a psychometrically validated clinical skills scale and an ad hoc knowledge assessment. Results: Baseline and follow-up scores from the clinical skills scale increased overall (0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9; p < .001), in self-reported clinical preparedness (1.1; 95% CI, 0.5-1.6; p = .001), and in basic knowledge (0.8; 95% CI, 0.3-1.4; p = .003). Discussion: An online interactive didactive session on dermatological care of LGBTQ patients increased participants' clinical preparedness and basic knowledge. Implementation of similar sessions at other institutions can improve gaps in preparing residents and medical students in dermatological care of LGBTQ patients.

The current state of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender cultural competency among U.S. dermatology residents

“…Likewise, providing an online, 2-hour interactive didactic session on dermatological care of LGBT patients to dermatology residents has been shown to increase LGBT preparedness, knowledge, and overall cultural competency. 29 …”

“…Likewise, providing an online, 2-hour interactive didactic session on dermatological care of LGBT patients to dermatology residents has been shown to increase LGBT preparedness, knowledge, and overall cultural competency. 29 Integrating LGBT healthcare within dermatology residency curricula can be challenging. Topics and experience can be introduced via the ethics category of core requirements for residency training or through clinical skills sessions on gender-affirming treatments.…”

Need for Inclusive Consideration of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in E-Health Services: A Systematic Review

“…The majority, 25 studies, were interventions implemented by the research teams themselves; a total of 2 studies analyzed interventions not implemented by the researchers themselves and were classified as non-interventional studies [30,38]. A total of 10 studies addressed interventions for prevention and testing of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), 7 studies addressed training and education for HCPs to acquire knowledge or reduce discrimination [14][15][16][58][59][60][61], 5 studies addressed mental health [46,[62][63][64][65], 1 study addressed sexual health [66], 1 study addressed a telehealth project to promote trans health care outreach [44], 1 study addressed telemedicine and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TGD health [30], 1 study addressed a massive open online course (MOOC) on LGBTQIA+ education and health services open to all user groups [67], and 1 study addressed online forums and social networks with health-related information [38]. In total, 14 studies were devoted to combined LGBTQIA+ samples or mixed samples with HCPs, 7 studies focused exclusively on HCPs, and 6 studies explicitly targeted only TGD people.…”

“…Among the 17 quantitative studies included, there were 4 RCTs [42,43,63,70] and 13 nonrandomized studies (including 4 comparative studies [65,68,69,72], 8 non-comparative single-arm studies [14,15,[58][59][60][61]67,73], and 1 non-interventional study [30]). Across the five domains of RoB 2, the selected RCT studies were convincing.…”

“…The COLORS website training encouraged 44 US HCPs to engage in thought processes that would progressively change their LGBTQIA+-related knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices [61]. The same was true for untitled videoconference-based interactive didactic sessions for 29 US residents and medical students [60]. An untitled LGBTQIA+ e-learning program for 307 Brazilian HCPs was designed to raise awareness of bias and discrimination in society and the health care system [59].…”