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Background: In an era of patient-centered, individualized medicine, it is important to consider of the impact of sex and gender on mechanisms of health and disease. Objectives: This study aimed to assess medical students’ current knowledge of sex and gender-based medical concepts and to compare responses to the prior assessment at Mayo Clinic in order to better inform ongoing efforts to improve medical education curricular materials.

Methods: An electronic survey that assessed current knowledge of sex and genderbased medicine was sent to all 1st – 4th year medical students at the Mayo Clinic Minnesota and Arizona campuses. Descriptive and qualitative thematic results were compared to the same survey administered in 2012 to assess the efficacy of curriculum changes in better covering sex and gender-based medicine topics.

Results: A total of 100 of 365 (27% response rate) of students responded, with 2:1 female to male with representation from all 4 years. The terms sex and gender were correctly identified by most respondents (93%). Various medical knowledge questions were answered incorrectly. Students reported many areas where concepts of sex and gender were not routinely covered n including orthopedics and nephrology, although these percentages have increased since 2012. Sixty two percent of students favored increasing sex and gender health concepts in the current curriculum.

Conclusions: Medical students appear to understand the definition of and importance of sex and gender. While some improvements in coverage by topic area have occurred, opportunity remains to more fully integrate these concepts in medical school curricula.

Publication Date

9-2020

Keywords

sex and gender-based medicine, medical student education

Sex and Gender Topics in Medical Student Learners: Follow up

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