Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
J Genet Couns. 2024 Apr;33(2):329-340. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1724. Epub 2023 May 24.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ) students in healthcare professional programs face discrimination in their training, leading them to hide their identities and hindering their ability to form as meaningful connections with their classmates and faculty as non-LGBTQ students. To date, no studies have been published characterizing the LGBTQ student experience in genetic counseling programs. However, other historically oppressed groups such as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) genetic counseling students report feelings of isolation and negative impacts on mental health due to their racial or ethnic identity. This study explored how LGBTQ identity impacted relationships between genetic counseling students and their classmates and faculty in graduate school. In this qualitative study using constructivist grounded theory, 13 LGBTQ students and recent graduates of Canadian and American accredited genetic counseling programs were interviewed via videoconferencing. Participants reported determinants in self-disclosing their LGBTQ identity to their classmates and faculty and described ways in which their LGBTQ identity impacted relationships with individuals in their training programs. In particular, many described an overall heteronormative training environment, a hesitation to disclose their identity to faculty due to the professional nature of the relationship, and a sense of isolation. Participants also described the ways in which intersecting minoritized identities impacted their experiences as an LGBTQ student. This research contributes to the minimal literature about LGBTQ genetic counseling student experiences and has implications for addressing cisheteronormative curricula and attitudes in genetic counseling programs.
医疗专业项目中的女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别、酷儿/疑问者和其他性与性别少数群体（LGBTQ）学生在培训中面临歧视，导致他们隐藏自己的身份，无法像非 LGBTQ 学生那样与同学和教师建立有意义的联系。迄今为止，还没有发表任何研究来描述 LGBTQ 学生在遗传咨询项目中的体验。然而，其他历史上受压迫的群体，如黑人和少数族裔（BIPOC）遗传咨询学生，由于他们的种族或族裔身份，报告感到孤立和心理健康受到负面影响。这项研究探讨了 LGBTQ 身份如何影响遗传咨询学生与同学和教师在研究生院的关系。在这项使用建构主义扎根理论的定性研究中，对来自加拿大和美国认可的遗传咨询项目的 13 名 LGBTQ 学生和应届毕业生进行了视频会议采访。参与者报告了向同学和教师透露自己的 LGBTQ 身份的决定因素，并描述了他们的 LGBTQ 身份如何影响他们与培训项目中个人的关系。特别是，许多人描述了一种总体上的异性恋规范培训环境，由于这种关系的专业性，他们不愿意向教师透露自己的身份，以及一种孤立感。参与者还描述了交叉少数群体身份如何影响他们作为 LGBTQ 学生的经历。这项研究为关于 LGBTQ 遗传咨询学生体验的文献做出了微薄贡献，并对解决遗传咨询项目中的顺性别规范课程和态度产生了影响。
