Student pharmacists’ perceptions of male faculty teaching female-specific sex and gender health topics

Abstract

Objective. The primary objective of this study was to assess perceptions of second year pharmacy students regardingpredominantlymalefacultyinstructingthemregardingfemalephysiology,pathophysiology,and gender health topics. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was administered to second year pharmacy students at a small, private, non-profit college of pharmacy at the conclusion of their women’s health integrated pharmacotherapeutics course. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement with various statements using a five-point Likert scale on which 15strongly disagree and 55strongly agree. Results. Forty-seven students completed the survey (26 female and 21 male). The students indicated high agreement withstatement: “Prior to the lectures, I felt comfortablehavingmalefaculty teach the majorityof women's health topics” (median55, IQR54-5). Students also indicated neutrality towards the statement: “The gender of the instructor is of importance in the didactic instruction of women’s healthtopics” (median53, IQR51-3). No significant differences were observed regarding student gender. Conclusion. Pharmacy students were generally amenable to male faculty teaching female-specific sex and gender health topics. This pattern was observed in both male and female students.