Transgender imaging curriculum during residency could improve patient care in this group of individuals who have historically experienced healthcare disparities, and many radiology students have reported being open to such educational opportunities [1].
A new paper in Academic Radiology details the development of a curriculum dedicated to transgender medical care specific to the specialty. Given that many radiology residents have very limited exposure to transgender care during their training, additional opportunities to learn how to respectfully and appropriately care for this population would be beneficial for both patients and providers, the new paper suggested.
“Transgender persons often experience healthcare disparities due to lack of provider knowledge,” corresponding author Juliana Tobler, MD, with the Department of Radiology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and co-authors explained. “With increasing gender diversity awareness and prevalence of gender-affirming care, radiologists-in-training need to be aware of the unique health considerations for this patient population.”
The program took place over four monthly sessions and included information on disparities specific to transgender individuals, use of appropriate terminology in reports and when communicating with transgender patients, medical and surgical treatments unique to the population, cultural sensitivity training, promoting health equity and more.
The final session included a patient panel discussion with a transgender woman and man. These individuals spent an hour discussing their experiences in healthcare, radiology and transitioning. Post-program interviews with the resident participants revealed this to be the most impactful aspect of the program.
Physicians who had experience working with transgender patients also contributed to the sessions. This aspect of the program also received positive feedback, with residents indicating the physicians’ experiences helped to provide a clearer picture of how radiologists’ work might differ with transgender patients. The detailed case information presented during physician discussions also was well received and described as “very helpful.”
Overall, residents who participated in the curriculum reported that it was very insightful, resulting in greater awareness and a desire to be more mindful of transgender patients in medical settings. They suggested that the additional training would be beneficial for anyone to complete during their residency.
“Our study suggests that a radiology-based transgender curriculum has a place in radiology training,” the authors concluded.
The study abstract is available here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.