Strategies for Reducing Homophobia During Medical Training

This paper describes the need for teaching about homosexuality in medical schools in order to improve the health care of homosexual patients and to improve the learning environment for gay and lesbian physicians-in-training. Homophobic attitudes and heterosexual biases in medical training and clinical interventions are reviewed. Next, teaching approaches that have been used to address homosexuality and homophobia in medicine are discussed. Finally, strategies and opportunities to integrate teaching about homosexuality with the needs of homosexual patients throughout the medical school experience are presented. Opportunities for teaching about homosexuality and the clinical needs of homosexual patients are present throughout the medical school curriculum. Impediments to utilizing these opportunities need to be overcome so that homosexual patients receive optimal health care by physicians trained to understand their clinical needs.