Breaking Barriers: A Successful Interdisciplinary Curriculum for Enhancing Women’s Health Education in Internal Medicine Residency Programs.

In recent years, a unique interdisciplinary curriculum has been successfully implemented in Internal Medicine residency programs to improve education in women’s health, gender-affirming care, and health disparities. Developed by a collaborative team of faculty from various disciplines, including Internal Medicine; Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences; Surgery; and community experts, the curriculum consists of half-day modules on interconnected topics, emphasizing health equity and interactive learning.

Implemented since 2015 for approximately 175 residents annually, the curriculum’s effectiveness was evaluated through anonymous surveys. The data from 2022-2023 revealed that 90% of the 131 resident respondents felt adequately prepared to apply the skills they had learned. There was a consistent trend of increased comfort with the material observed across previous years. The curriculum was specifically praised for its interactive teaching methods and direct learning experiences from community members and peers.

The success of this innovative educational approach has proven effective in enhancing resident learning and readiness. The team hopes that this success can be replicated in other medical training programs to address crucial issues in women’s and gender-affirming care education and create a more equitable healthcare environment. For more information about this topic, refer to the article “It Takes a Village: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Preparing Internal Medicine Residents to Care for Patients at the Intersection of Women’s Health, Gender-Affirming Care, and Health Disparities,” published in the Journal of Women’s Health by Henrich JB, Richman I, Rabin TL, Gielissen KA, Dhond M, Canarie JX, Hirschman AF, Windham MR