# Review of UK and Ireland Surveys of Health Professional Educators on Teaching of Sexual- and Gender-Minority Health

## TL;DR

Health professionals in the UK and Ireland feel undertrained in addressing the health needs of sexual and gender minorities, despite some efforts to include this in education.

## Contribution

This review highlights the lack of mandated training on SGM health in UK and Ireland health professional curricula and identifies gaps in perceptions between students and educators.

## Key findings

- Health professionals and students report insufficient training in SGM health.
- Curriculum reviews show minimal requirements for SGM health in postgraduate medical training.
- There is a contradiction in perceptions of training adequacy between students and educators.

## Abstract

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people report considerable dissatisfaction with health services compared to heterosexual and/or cisgender people, with health professionals highlighting insufficient training. Teaching about the health of SGM people is not mandated in UK health professionals’ educational curricula. A review of published and unpublished surveys and of UK training courses evaluating LGBTQ+ content, in the UK and Ireland, examining the teaching of the health of SGM people to health professionals was conducted. Fifteen surveys from the perspectives of educators and students were compared and contrasted. Surveys were found from educators from undergraduate medicine, nursing and midwifery, and pharmacy schools, from students at dental, medical, and pharmacy schools, and from qualified doctors and paramedics. Students and clinical staff perceived that they have insufficient training in SGM health, although there is a contradiction in the perception of teaching amount between students and educational staff. Two curriculum reviews of Royal College postgraduate medical training showed either no or very few requirements on SGM health. Although some courses make considerable efforts to fully incorporate SGM health into mandatory curricula appropriately, professionals mention insufficient training. Until curriculum setters mandate SGM health, patient complaints will continue.