Table 1 Studies characteristics

Arora, 2019⁵⁰

TG

University of Newcastle (Australia)

To explore the effect of education on the confidence of students regarding TG care in Australia.

A multidisciplinary team, including a member of the TG community, delivered 3 times 1-hour sessions addressing appropriate TG terminology; exploring the biological basis of gender identity and diversity; the lived-experience of a TG and their relationship with healthcare providers; supportive care for children and families; adolescent puberty blockade; adult transition care; fertility; hormonal monitoring and surgery.

Berenson, 2020⁵¹

TG

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (US)

To design a multimodal transgender curriculum to address educational gaps in the area of transgender health.

3 sessions: (1) a didactic presentation reviewing unique health issues and disparities experienced by TG focus on teaching students’ office-based masculinizing and femininizing therapies, (2) a small-group session viewing and analysing a pair of videos showcasing competent and poor communication between a provider and a TG, and (3) a large-group patient panel featuring members of the TG community.

Bi, 2020⁵²

SGM

The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (US)

To evaluate the impact of an innovative module teaching intersectionality of sexual orientation, gender identity, and race/ethnicity issues

8-week course on Health Care Disparities: Equity and Advocacy. SGM health care disparities with a focus on intersectionality. 2-hour module: didactic presentation, role-play scenarios, and small-group work. 2.5-hour module with video interviews of SGM patients could complement modules that teach general SGM or race/ethnicity issues.

Click, 2019⁵³

TG

East Tennessee State University (US)

To assess the effectiveness of the intervention on 1st - and 2nd -year medical students’ attitudes and knowledge of transgender health.

Sessions called Integrated Grand Rounds included cases co-presented to students by clinical and basic science faculty members. Brief didactic presentations are interspersed between live patient interviews and small group breakout sessions led by trained 3rd- and 4th-year student mentors. ‘Case of Transition’ was presented at Integrated Grand Rounds.

Cooper, 2018⁵⁴

SGM

Baylor College of Medicine (US)

To evaluate an intervention on LGBT topics.

1-hour didactic lecture in a traditional classroom with approximately 180 students. The lecture was intended to be interactive. The facilitator for the session should be a content expert in LGBT health disparities, as well as familiar with the concept of social determinants of health.

Dale, 2022⁵⁵

TG

Swansea University (UK)

To examine the impact of an education session on medical students’ comfort with their knowledge of and ability to address the health needs of transgender patients.

Three optional 20 min lectures, with time for questions. The presenters were a senior lecturer and researcher, a senior medical doctor, and a transgender activist. Topics included the spectrum of gender identity, using pronouns, and a broad overview of experiences of transgender people across the age spectrum and life course.

Gavzy, 2019⁵⁶

SGM

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (US)

To prepare trainees to address the needs of LGBT community members.

2.5-hours workshop: (1) Identify the 4 dimensions of human sexuality; (2) a sexuality survey to reflect on their own sexual identity, comfort in discussing sexual health, and homophobia/transphobia; (3) a didactic presentation to review health issues and disparities for LGBT individuals, (4) small-group sessions to analyse videos showcasing competent and poor communication between a provider and patient.

Lee, 2020⁵⁷

TG

University of Ulsan College of Medicine, (Republic of Korea)

To evaluate attitudes toward TG among medical students and demonstrate that including lectures on transgenderism in curricula would have a positive impact on students’ attitudes.

The participants were given a lecture on “Understanding Gender and Transgenderism”. The lecture included discussions on the definition and core concepts of gender, gender dysphoria, transgenderism and related epidemiology and biology, psychiatric and social issues, health disparities, general primary care, hormone replacement therapy, and surgical options.

Lee, 2022⁵⁸

TG

University College Dublin (Irland)

To assess medical students’ awareness of the health issues faced by transgender people and assess the impact of a 1-hour session on this topic on their awareness and comfort.

After positive expressions of interest, a didactic lecture was developed based on the latest literature. The lecture content was reviewed by the National Gender Service Ireland. Didactic slideshow presented to two separate groups of final year medical students. At the second lecture, a transgender man was invited to attend to provide a patient perspective on the topic.

Levy, 2021⁵⁹

SGM

Nova Southeastern University (US)

To assess the impact of the activity on knowledge, confidence, and attitudes of medical students regarding LGBT healthcare.

2-hour active learning session. Small group, case-based discussions facilitated by members of the LGBT community, using clinical scenarios that enabled discussion around best practices for providing equitable healthcare to LGBT seniors: 10 minutes for introductions, 40 + 40 minutes for discussing case 1 and 2, 20 minutes for a large group debrief, pre-designed ‘prompt’ questions by the LGBT community facilitators.

Mahabamunuge, 2021⁶⁵

SGM

New York Medical College (US)

To identify whether a student initiated lecture series on topics related to gender and sexual health leads to greater student comfort with discussing topics related to diverse sexual content.

Five ‘Gender and Sexuality in Medicine’ seminars. The lecture series included fourteen lectures presented by content area experts, including clinicians, patients, and community stakeholders. Lecture topics included intimate partner violence, STIs and stigma, puberty suppression in transgender children, contraception and family planning, female genital cutting, and mental health in SGM patients.

Minturn, 2021⁶¹

SGM

University of Colorado School of Medicine (US)

To evaluate the effectiveness of a 10-hour LGBTQ health curriculum at improving medical students’ self-confidence and knowledge in working with LGBTQ patients.

10-hour LGBTQ health-related curriculum. The course’s five 2-hour sessions took place in classrooms. The first session began with an introductory presentation covering LGBTQ-related terminology and techniques for taking an inclusive sexual history. An inclusive communication handout was provided. Students were divided into groups and performed role-played cases.

Najor, 2020⁶²

SGM

Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine (MCASOM) (US)

To identify the learning needs of the students associated with gender expression and sexual orientation, assess the quality of the lecture, and attitude and knowledge at 1-year post lecture.

1-h lecture. Attendance was mandatory. The lecture included an explanation of the spectrum of identities associated with gender expression and sexual orientation, a broad overview of LGBT + health disparities, and the description of a patient scenario to demonstrate how subtle aggressions by medical staff may lead to less health care utilization and poorer treatment outcomes.

Norwood, 2022⁶³

TG

University of Texas at Austin (US)

To evaluate the efficacy of a novel patient-centred, case-based educational intervention on TG healthcare competencies, TG healthcare training and knowledge of TG healthcare needs

45 min case-based educational intervention addressing the use of pronouns, recognise and correct ‘deadnaming’ in the medical chart, use appropriate language when taking a sexual history, address biases related to gender, sexual orientation, and sexual practices and conduct a patient history. The educational intervention started with a 5-minutes introduction of the six TG patient collaborators.

Pathoulas, 2021⁶⁴

TG

University of Minnesota (US)

To investigate whether medical students’ comfort and familiarity with Gender-affirming hormone therapy could increase after a short interactive program.

1-hour didactic and interactive lecture on Gender-affirming hormone therapy: (a) the scope of practice required to provide Gender-affirming hormone therapy; (b) an informed consent model of care; and (c) the medical management of masculinizing and feminizing hormone therapy, including dosing of relevant medications. The interactive portion of the lecture consisted of role-playing.

Sanchez, 2022⁴⁴

SGM

College of Medicine, University of Central Florida (US)

To assess the impact of LGBTQI+ -specific education on the attitudes of medical students regarding LGBTQI + communities.

2-hour human sexuality lecture with a focus on LGBTQI + health and healthcare. The content was delivered by the course director, an LGBTQI + researcher, a child psychiatrist, and a clinical psychologist focused on LGBTQI + care. Learner-to-facilitator ratio was approximately 30:1. Prior to class instruction, class lecturers shared their personal stories and their advocacy work with LGBTQI + communities (10 min).

Silverberg, 2021⁴⁵

TG

Department of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University (US)

To introduce a standardized patient activity focusing on communication with transgender and gender nonconforming individuals.

For the first 20 min of the encounter, students interacted to obtain a complete history. The case focused on a patient who recently moved to the area and needed to establish care as well as to refill medications. The students then received direct feedback for the remaining 10 min. At the conclusion students reconvened for a large group panel discussion with all TG who participated in the session.

Stumbar, 2018⁴⁶

SGM

The Florida Internat. University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (US)

To evaluate if an instructional format provided an effective way to teach medical students about the social determinants of sexual and reproductive health.

2-hour session was divided into two 1-hour blocks. After the conclusion of the lecture, three community members were invited to discuss their experiences with the health care system, particularly as these experiences related to their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. At our institution, this panel included a transgender woman, a middle-aged gay man, and an older heterosexual woman with HIV.

Taylor, 2018⁴⁷

SGM

Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol (UK)

To evaluate the effect of a half-day teaching session focused on LGBT health care.

1- hour lecture introducing legislation, health inequalities, and the health of the TG community. 90-minute workshop for groups of 15–20 students, focusing on consultation skills, homophobic or heterosexist language, and awareness of inequalities and stigma. Role-play where the peer facilitator acted as a patient with gender dysphoria attending a general practitioner. Students’ smaller groups to discussion.

Thompson, 2019⁴⁸

TG

Rush University Medical Center (US)

To evaluate a gender-affirming healthcare curriculum for second-year medical students.

Online videos and lecture. 3-hour workshop included case-based learning centred on a gender nonconforming: (1) role-playing with different pronouns; (2) review of practice questions formatted to represent those seen on medical board examinations; and (3) discussion of case vignettes. On a separate day attended 2-hour panel discussions. Short video ‘Voices of Transgender Adolescents in Healthcare’.

Wahlen, 2020⁴⁹

SGM

Lausanne University Hospital (Swisserland)

To assess the knowledge and attitudes of medical students regarding LGBT people; To evaluate the impact of a 1-hour lecture on adolescent LGBT health needs.

A compulsory one-hour lecture on sexual orientation and gender identity development during adolescence. The lecture focused on facts about health issues of LGBT adolescents and was given by a paediatrician experienced in adolescent health.

Zheng, 2022⁴³

TG

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (US)

To evaluate a voluntary 2-hour modified jigsaw exercise on trans health care to optimize the structure for medical students.

A 2 h session was held in classrooms that allowed groups of five students discuss with one another transgender-specific questions covered gender versus sexual identity, common feminizing and masculinizing hormone regimens, and expected effects of hormone regimens.