Sexual Health in Undergraduate Medical Education: Existing and Future Needs and Platforms

Abstract

Introduction This article explores the evolution and current delivery of undergraduate medical education in human sexuality. Aim To make recommendations regarding future educational needs, principles of curricular development, and how the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) should address the need to enhance and promote human sexuality education around the world. Methods The existing literature was reviewed for sexuality education, curriculum development, learning strategies, educational formats, evaluation of programs, evaluation of students, and faculty development. Main Outcome Measures The prevailing theme of most publications in this vein is that sexuality education in undergraduate medical education is currently not adequate to prepare students for future practice. Results We identified components of the principles of attitudes, knowledge, and skills that should be contained in a comprehensive curriculum for undergraduate medical education in human sexuality. Management of sexual dysfunction; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health care; sexuality across genders and lifespan; understanding of non-normative sexual practices; sexually transmitted infections and HIV, contraception; abortion; sexual coercion and violence; and legal aspects were identified as topics meriting particular attention. Conclusion Curricula should be integrated throughout medical school and based on principles of adult learning. Methods of teaching should be multimodal and evaluations of student performance are critical. To realize much of what needs to be done, faculty development is critical. Thus, the ISSM can play a key role in the provision and dissemination of learning opportunities and materials, it can promote educational programs around the world, and it can articulate a universal curriculum with modules that can be adopted. The ISSM can create chapters, review documents, slide decks, small group and roleplay topics, and video-recorded materials and make all this material easily available. An expert consensus conference would be needed to realize these recommendations and fulfill them.

Educational Innovation in Higher Education: Use of Role Playing and Educational Video in Future Teachers’ Training

“…The use of role-playing associated with educational video generates a positive attitude towards learning, given the high level of interest, motivation, interaction with content, autonomy, collaboration between students, attention, self-regulation of learning itself and creativity in the training process generated [22][23][24][25][26][27]. However, in addition, it provokes an adequate aptitude for the contents presented, given that it promotes the resolution of problems, the deepening of contents, the reduction of the sensation of class time, the grades in the subject, teamwork, educational innovation and attention to diversity [28][29][30][31][37][38][39][40][41][42]. Although the experimental group scored higher than the control, this did not have a major impact on the students' final grades [43].…”

“…One of the limitations of this methodology is the bias that exists when it is implemented, because the participants, in this case the students; know each other beforehand, which causes the interaction to be conditioned [29]. In contrast, one of the advantages of implementing this methodology is the flexibility to adapt it to any level of education, facilitating the rapid understanding of the materials used in the teaching-learning process, and increasing the sense of responsibility and independence of those who participate in the dynamic [30].…”

The primary health care of transgender adults

“…[67][68][69][70] Providing education to medical students about gender dysphoria is associated with improved knowledge, attitudinal change and professionalism. 71 Like the cisgender population, transgender people experience health issues that are not related to gender at all; educating all health professionals about transgender people will improve the access of transgender people to the varied general health resources they may require.…”

Professional training for ethical and comprehensive care of patients living with HIV/AIDS

“…Shortcomings in training to address aspects related to sexuality, vulnerability and people living with HIV and their families have also been reported in American schools. Studies reveal lack of training and confidence in students with respect to this population, while those that are well trained in the issues of vulnerability and encouraged to overcome paradigms that extrapolate purely clinical and pathological aspects of HIV seropositivity are able to offer better care to their patients and develop positive attitudes (Haist et al, 2004;Sanchez, Rabatin, Sanchez, Hubbard, & Kalet, 2006;Shindel, Baazeem, Eardley, & Coleman, 2016;Wittenberg & Gerber, 2009).…”