Health Education & Research

Training & Conferences
The Center has provided training on LGBT
health concerns to current and future health
professionals in every field. The Center has also convened multiple LGBT health conferences,
and in October 2010 presented the National Summit
on LGBT Issues in Medical Education for medical school faculty. Contact the Center for more
information about customized consulting and training, or to receive a copt of the materials created for the Medical Education Summit (please provide your mailing address).

"Your talk was thought-provoking, entertaining, and rich with important information. It should be required for all medical school faculty, residents, and students."

—Medical school
course director

Curriculum Resources
It is critical that health professional students learn how to provide knowledgeable, sensitive care to LGBT patients--a goal endorsed by the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges, which has published LGBT-related recommendations for medical schools. The Center has spearheaded the infusion of LGBT topics into the curricula of health professional schools at UCSF and beyond, and has developed these resources:
• Core LGBT Competencies for Medical Students
• UCSF LGBT Curriculum Infusions
• UCSF LGBT Curriculum Checklist

The links below, together with those on the LGBT health links page, offer a wealth of information for those assembling LGBT teaching materials:
• Fenway Institute Learning Modules on LGBT Health
• Primary Care for Lesbians & Bisexual Women (Sally Mravcak, MD)
• Health Care Screening for Men Who Have Sex with Men (Daniel Knight, MD)
• Bisexual Health: An Introduction & Model Practices
• AMSA LGBT Curriculum Initiatives

These two print publications may also be helpful: Kaiser Permanente's Provider's Handbook on Culturally Competent Care: LGBT Population (call 510-271-6663 or email for a PDF) and The Fenway Guide to LGBT Health, available from the American College of Physicians and amazon.com.

Climate Resources
LGBT health professionals in training need and deserve targeted support, as noted by the LGBT-related recommendations of the Association of American Medical Colleges. LGBT role models are still few, and many students wonder if their LGBT status will prove damaging in their work and studies. (An article in New Physician explores this problem.)

It is critical that health training institutions welcome and support their LGBT students, faculty, and staff--and signal to LGBT college and high school students that the health professions are viable choices. This ensures that the health professions resemble the population at large and are informed by LGBT experiences and perspectives.

The Center has consulted with many institutions on creating a welcoming climate for LGBT students, faculty, and staff, and has developed these resources:
• Institutional LGBT Self-Assessment Tool
• Benchmarks for LGBT Institutional Equity
• UCSF LGBT Climate Checklist

Mentoring & Support for LGBT Students
The Gender & Sexuality Committee of the American Medical Students Association offers a wealth of resources for LGBT students and residents, including a national listserv and a directory of medical schools and residencies evaluated for their LGBT-friendliness. In addition, UCSF graduate Ming Chan, MD, PhD, has created a "Guide for LGBT Students Applying to Residency."

At UCSF, students from all schools connect with LGBT faculty for mentoring via the online Out List, and schools are encouraged to create a similar list at their institutions (even a short list can make a big difference). And early each year, UCSF presents an LGBT Health Forum at which 150+ interprofessional students, both LGBT and not, gather for education and support; contact the Center for details.

Associations of current and future LGBT health professionals can be found on the LGBT health links page.

LGBT Inclusion in Research
There is a critical need for research into LGBT health-related questions--and for meaningful inclusion of LGBT people in health surveys. For almost a decade, The Center has advocated that surveys ask respondents their sexual orientation and gender identity so that reliable data can be generated on LGBT health--and many surveys at UCSF and elsewhere have now done just that (visit gaydata.org for details).

In addition, the Center has strongly encouraged graduate health students and established researchers to make use of the LGBT-related data already being generated, so that LGBT health challenges and disparities can be more readily and accurately pinpointed. For example, the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) offers a wealth of easily-accessed LGB data. Contact the Center for more information on LGBT-related research at UCSF and beyond.

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Training & Consulting
The last decade has seen a sea change in health care for LGBT people--and the Center has played an important role in this transformation. All tiers of the health care system have begun to attend to the needs of LGBT patients, seeking information and materials to provide knowledgeable, sensitive care to this long-overlooked group, who face particular challenges and disparities. The Center has helped numerous institutions educate themselves, revise their forms and policies, and create a welcoming environment for LGBT people. Contact the Center to discuss training and/or consulting tailored to your institution's needs.

"Thanks for the wonderful work
you do, including
our better understanding of LGBT issues in relation to our patient services."

—Medical center executive

Inclusive Policies & Forms
LGBT-inclusive policies and forms, accompanied by training, can make a tremendous difference in the relationship between LGBT patients and health care institutions. The national LGBT Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), which rates health care institutions from an LGBT standpoint, provides specific benchmarks for LGBT equity and inclusion--and notes the many benefits of providing an LGBT-welcoming environment. The UCSF Center for LGBT Health & Equity, a member of the HEI Advisory Board, offers consulting and training to institutions seeking to provide an equitable, welcoming environment for LGBT patients and their families.

UCSF is the only medical center to have received a perfect score on the HEI every year. Its LGBT-related policies and practices, developed in conjunction with the Center for LGBT Health & equity, recently became the first LGBT-related material featured in the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange.

Materials for a Welcoming Environment
Health care offices and institutions can powerfully convey their commitment to equitable care of LGBT patients by making LGBT-related materials available. The American College Health Association publishes brochures suitable for any age group, the American Cancer Society distributes free LGBT-targeted brochures, the GLBT Health Access Project provides posters on LGBT health, and the Transgender Law Center provides useful tips.. Prominently posting a non-discrimination statement, assuming it includes sexual orientation and gender identity, also sends a strong message of LGBT inclusion. In addition, LGBT families always appreciate seeing themselves reflected in waiting-room materials, and it's very helpful to have information about local LGBT resources (especially any serving youth and elders) handy in primary care environments. Contact the Center for more information about making your environment more LGBT-friendly.

Recruitment & Retention of LGBT Employees
Hiring and supporting LGBT employees is crucial to equitable LGBT care--in fact, the HEI rated hospitals on their employee policies and practices. The Center has worked closely with UCSF and other medical centers on a wide range of LGBT employee needs and concerns; visit the Center's workplace page to learn more about hiring, benefits, recognition, and more.

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Other UCSF LGBT Health Resources

Visit Resources to see UCSF's other LGBT health-focused efforts. Transgender-specific resources are detailed in a special FAQ.

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LGBT Health Links

Visit these LGBT health links to see a wide range of LGBT-related health professional groups, health centers, and LGBT health initiatives.

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