Sex and Gender Health Education Summit: Advancing Curricula Through a Multidisciplinary Lens

Abstract

Introduction: The Sex and Gender Health Education (SGHE) Summit was a national collaboration that engaged educational thought leaders from various health professions to advance curricula by integrating sex- and gender-based evidence into health education. Materials and Methods: The SGHE Summit was held over a 2.5-day period April 2018 at the University of Utah. Pre- and postsummit surveys assessed attitudinal and knowledge changes. Results: A total of 246 health care professionals and trainees from U.S. and International Institutions attended. One hundred fifty-seven presummit surveys and 115 postsummit surveys were completed. Postsummit beliefs: SGHE is critical to precision medicine (100%); it is essential to include female animals in preclinical research studies (96%); sex and gender concepts could be used to improve men's health (99%). A teaching tool summarizes the initial questions to consider in SGHE. Conclusion: The SGHE Summit was the first multiprofessional large-scale national effort focused on the integration of sex and gender knowledge into the education of all health professionals. Summit participants now represent a national network of educators and clinicians who recognize the centrality of sex and gender to health professionals' knowledge and practice. These educational efforts will ultimately ensure a more personalized health care delivery.