What Do LGBTQ+ Medical Students Experience and Need in Medical School? A Multicenter Qualitative Study in Thailand
Issued Date
2024-10-01
Resource Type
ISSN
10402446
eISSN
1938808X
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85203277539
Journal Title
Academic Medicine
Volume
99
Issue
10
Start Page
1117
End Page
1126
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Academic Medicine Vol.99 No.10 (2024) , 1117-1126
Suggested Citation
Srifuengfung M., Wiwattarangkul T., Vadhanavikkit P., Wiwattanaworaset P., Chiddaycha M., Oon-Arom A., Wainipitapong S. What Do LGBTQ+ Medical Students Experience and Need in Medical School? A Multicenter Qualitative Study in Thailand. Academic Medicine Vol.99 No.10 (2024) , 1117-1126. 1126. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000005745 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/101603
Title
What Do LGBTQ+ Medical Students Experience and Need in Medical School? A Multicenter Qualitative Study in Thailand
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Purpose This study evaluated the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) attending medical schools in Thailand. Method Medical students from 4 medical schools in Thailand were recruited in 2022. LGBTQ+ participants were selected via purposive sampling and invited for semistructured interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Interviews were conducted with 39 students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, nonbinary, asexual, or androgynous, with a mean age of 21. The experiences of these LGBTQ+ individuals in medical school had 4 themes: (1) normalization of LGBTQ+ identity among friends, or not openly identifying as LGBTQ+ (because it was viewed as unnecessary), facilitated everyday life; (2) fear of negative judgments from being LGBTQ+ by attending physicians and patients; (3) authenticity to sexual or gender identity provided relief; and (4) personal histories of discrimination affected self-disclosure and social dynamics. Overall, approximately 17% of reported stressors were directly associated with participants' LGBTQ+ identity. The identified needs within medical schools comprised 2 themes: (1) treat each other with equal respect (with 3 subthemes: nonjudgmental attitudes supported by effective discrimination reporting systems, more LGBTQ+-related education and extracurricular activities, and activities driven by voluntariness without gender-based selection); and (2) abolishment or amendment of regulations that strictly enforce gender binaries. These amendments could include implementing flexible dress codes, establishing gender-neutral restrooms and dormitories, and introducing gender-neutral titles. Transgendered participants reported experiencing the most significant disparities due to binary regulations and infrastructures. Conclusions LGBTQ+ medical students in Thailand reported fear of negative perceptions by attending physicians and patients. Exposing everyone, particularly attending physicians, to examples of unintentional discrimination is recommended. There is also a need to promote LGBTQ+-related education and extracurricular activities and to ensure activities and regulations are not gender divided.