Gender-sensitive Attitudes and experiences within an Australian

Times are shown in your local time zone GMT

Gender-sensitive Attitudes and experiences within an Australian University Health Faculty

Prep (Ph D & Early Career Researchers – Explore Your Ideas Pavilion)

Edit Your Submission

Edit

Favourite

PREP (PhD & Early Career Researchers – explore your ideas Pavilion)

11:00 am

27 February 2024

M216

Clinical assessment and access

Themes

Theme 3: Consumer engagement and access in assessment

Presentation Description

Marlene De Bruin¹
Eleanor Mitchell¹ and Riki Lane¹
1 Monash University

Introduction

This doctoral study examines gender-sensitive attitudes and education within an Australian University Health Faculty and explores ways to increase inclusivity and decrease gender biases and discrimination from both the student and educator perspectives.

Methods
This project had 3 phases.

A modified 2007 Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale (N-GAMS) was used to survey medical and nursing students' gender sensitivity, gender awareness and gender-role ideology in relation to knowledge, attitude formation and clinical skills (Verdonk et al; 2007). This project revised the scale to be more inclusive of the variety of gender positions, such as trans and non-binary people.
Students were asked questions (via open-ended surveys, interviews and focus groups) about their experience with gender representation and biases within the curricula and their approach to change. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis captured their personal story and experience with gender in the curricula.
Educators were asked questions (via interviews) about their experience with gender representation and biases within the curricula and their approach to change. Educators had the opportunity to respond to the themes generated from the student phase.

Discussion

The results from the completed studies point to the need for more resources for both educators and students. In both instances, there was a need for more education around gender sensitivity in the medical curriculum.

Conclusion

Educators raised very similar themes to students with the understanding there is not enough representation of all genders in the curriculum and the resources available to support both students and educators is insufficient.

Questions for audience:

What are your views about gender across medical education and how it is discussed in your current teaching program?
Do you think the findings will help improve the education system?

References (maximum three)

1. Verdonk, P., Benschop, Y., De Haes, H. and Lagro-Janssen, T.,. Medical Students’ Gender Awareness. Sex Roles, 2007. 58(3-4), pp.222-234.

Speakers

Marlene De Bruin

PhD Student

Monash University - Toorak, Australia