Still in the closet: the invisible minority in medical education

Abstract

BackgroundTo investigate the relationship between sexual orientation and gender identity in regard to levels of depression; levels of perceived social support; comfort with disclosure of orientation; and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) campus climate.MethodsE-mail invitations to participate in the current cross-sectional questionnaire-based study were sent to all thirty US osteopathic medical schools in August 2012; six schools responded and disseminated the survey to their students. Participating students completed an anonymous web-based survey, and informed consent was obtained when they accessed the survey. The survey was designed specifically for the current study but contained scales used with permission from previously published research. Analysis procedures included nonparametric tests, one-way analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlations.ResultsOf the 4112 students invited to participate in the survey, 1334 (32.4%) completed it. Approximately 85% of respondents self-identified as heterosexual only. No respondents identified as transgender. In general, LGB students indicated higher levels of depression (P < .001), slightly lower levels of perceived social support (P < .001), and more discomfort with disclosure of sexual orientation (P < .001). A majority of students rated their campus climate as noninclusive.ConclusionsResults of the current study indicated a relationship between sexual orientation and depression, perceived social support, comfort with disclosure of orientation, and the LGBT campus climate in osteopathic medical students. In the future, osteopathic medical schools should consider closely examining their campus culture in order to create a more positive and inclusive environment for all its students.

Medical students’ perception of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) discrimination in their learning environment and their self-reported comfort level for caring for LGBT patients: a survey study

“…Despite these strengths, the study has some limitations with a response rate at 15.4%. However, this is comparable to other studies in the field, where study participation was optional and did not offer any incentive [15]. As well, the study targeted only one medical school, and a broader study is required to be able to assess Canadian medical schools overall.…”

“…Implicit bias refers to individuals’ perception and stereotypes without conscious intention. The prevalence of such a bias in the healthcare setting constitutes an unaddressed part of the medical curriculum [10,12], and various degrees of homophobia and discrimination continue to be noted by both physicians and trainees [13–15]. …”

“…As such, an overwhelming majority of medical school applicants did not want to disclose their orientation, and some feared that it would result in rejection [15,16]. Moreover, a significant portion of medical students described the climate at their institution as ‘non-inclusive’ [13,15,17].…”

“…This is also true for medical trainees, and can affect the academic success of LGBT students [22,23]. Studies show a correlation between depression in LGBT medical students and the non-inclusivity of campus climate as well as the discomfort of disclosure of sexual orientation [15]. This suggests that targeting these factors has the potential to counter the increased risk for mental health disorders among LGBT students.…”

Specialty Choice Among Sexual and Gender Minorities in Medicine: The Role of Specialty Prestige, Perceived Inclusion, and Medical School Climate

“…5,6 Almost one-fifth of lesbian-identified physicians report sexual orientation harassment during residency, and two-fifths report ever experiencing such harassment in a medical setting. 7 Two-thirds of SGM physicians have heard disparaging remarks about SGM at work; one-third have witnessed discriminatory care of an SGM patient; approximately one-quarter have witnessed discrimination against an SGM employee; and approximately one-fifth report experiencing social ostracism because of their SGM identity.…”