Sense and sensitivity: developing a gender issues perspective in medical education.

As part of a larger project focused on integrating women's health issues and gender issues into undergraduate medical education in Canada, the question of what is actually meant by a "gender issues perspective" in medical education was explored. Clinical experience, discussions with colleagues, and exposure to a variety of medical education resources reinforced the complexity of the subject and demonstrated the difficulty in making amorphous ideas concrete. Eight dimensions encompass the key concepts underlying a gender issues perspective. Practical applications highlight the usefulness of these suggested dimensions in making sense of and bringing sensitivity to this complex subject.