Surasartpisal Bentawich, Tharawan Kanokwan, Kuldejchaichan Kaittiyos, Lertkhachonsuk Arb-Aroon
Pride Clinic, Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Siriraj Health Science Education Excellence Center, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Med Teach. 2025 Apr;47(4):684-695. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2024.2362240. Epub 2024 Jun 24.
In Thailand, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) individuals face significant health disparities and discrimination in healthcare. A primary cause is the lack of knowledge among doctors and their negative attitudes towards LGBTQ people. The purpose of this study was to explore the current undergraduate medical curricula of medical schools in Thailand concerning learning outcomes, contents, teaching and learning methods, and assessment methods in the field of LGBTQ health. It also sought to gather opinions from principal stakeholders in curriculum development.
The authors employed a mixed-methods approach with a convergent design to conduct the research. Quantitative data were collected from 23 deputy deans of educational affairs using a standardized interview form, and qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including 16 LGBTQ healthcare receivers, 22 medical students, and three medical teachers. Both datasets were analyzed simultaneously to ensure consistency.
The findings indicate that none of the medical schools had established learning objectives related to LGBTQ healthcare within their curricula. Of the institutions surveyed, 8 out of 15 (53.3%) offered some form of teaching on this topic, aligning with the qualitative data which showed 7 out of 17 institutions (41.2%) provided such education. The most frequently covered topics were gender identity and sexual orientation. Lectures were the predominant teaching method, while multiple-choice questions were the most common assessment format. There was a unanimous agreement among all principal stakeholders on the necessity of integrating LGBTQ healthcare into the M.D. program and the professional standards governed by the Thai Medical Council.
Although some Thai medical schools have begun to incorporate LGBTQ health into their curricula, the approach does not fully address the actual health issues faced by LGBTQ individuals. Future teaching should emphasize fostering positive attitudes towards LGBTQ people and enhancing communication skills, rather than focusing solely on the cognitive aspects of terminology. Importantly, medical educators should serve as role models in providing competent and compassionate care for LGBTQ patients.
在泰国，女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别者和酷儿（LGBTQ）群体在医疗保健方面面临着显著的健康差距和歧视。一个主要原因是医生缺乏相关知识以及他们对LGBTQ群体的负面态度。本研究的目的是探讨泰国医学院当前本科医学课程在LGBTQ健康领域的学习成果、内容、教学方法和评估方法。它还旨在收集课程开发主要利益相关者的意见。
作者采用了具有收敛设计的混合方法进行研究。使用标准化访谈表格从23名教育事务副院长处收集定量数据，并通过对包括16名LGBTQ医疗服务接受者、22名医学生和3名医学教师在内的关键利益相关者进行深入访谈获得定性数据。对这两个数据集同时进行分析以确保一致性。
研究结果表明，没有一所医学院在其课程中确立与LGBTQ医疗保健相关的学习目标。在接受调查的机构中，15所中有8所（53.3%）提供了关于该主题的某种形式的教学，这与定性数据显示的17所机构中有7所（41.2%）提供此类教育相符。最常涉及 的主题是性别认同和性取向。讲座是主要的教学方法，而多项选择题是最常见的评估形式。所有主要利益相关者一致认为有必要将LGBTQ医疗保健纳入医学博士课程以及泰国医学委员会制定的专业标准。
尽管一些泰国医学院已开始将LGBTQ健康纳入其课程，但这种方法并未完全解决LGBTQ群体面临的实际健康问题。未来的教学应强调培养对LGBTQ群体的积极态度并提高沟通技巧，而不是仅专注于术语的认知方面。重要的是，医学教育工作者应成为为LGBTQ患者提供称职且富有同情心的护理的榜样。
