In recent years, a new interdisciplinary curriculum has been implemented in Internal Medicine residency programs to improve education in women’s health, gender-affirming care, and health disparities. Led by Janet Henrich, MD, the curriculum was developed collaboratively by a team of faculty from various disciplines, including Internal Medicine; Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences; Surgery; and community experts.
The curriculum consists of half-day modules on interconnected topics that emphasize health equity and interactive learning. Since its implementation in 2015, the curriculum has been attended by approximately 175 residents annually. The impact of the curriculum was evaluated through anonymous surveys conducted in 2022-2023. The data revealed that 90% of the 131 resident respondents felt adequately prepared to apply the skills they had learned. There was a consistent trend of increased comfort with the material observed across previous years.
Residents specifically praised the interactive teaching methods and direct learning experiences from community members and peers. The success of this innovative educational approach has proven effective in enhancing resident learning and readiness for providing quality care to patients at the intersection of women’s health, gender-affirming care, and health disparities.
The team hopes that this success can be replicated in other medical training programs to address crucial issues in women’s and gender-affirming care education and create a more equitable healthcare environment for all patients. For more information about this novel interdisciplinary curriculum, refer to the article “It Takes a Village: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Preparing Internal Medicine Residents to Care for Patients at the Intersection of Women’s Health, Gender-Affirming Care, and Health Disparities” published in the Journal of Women’s Health by Henrich JB et al.
