Background: As sex and gender differences in health become clearer, physicians must adapt their practices. There are few interventions promoting knowledge of sex- and gender- based medicine (SGBM). Our medical school preclinical elective was designed to fill this gap. Methods: Pre- and post-course surveys were administered to evaluate the course's impact on learners' knowledge and attitudes. Quantitative data were analyzed using unpaired t-tests and Fisher's exact test. Qualitative data were analyzed using grounded theory approach.
Results: 30 pre- and 15 post-surveys were completed. Learners felt more familiar with SGBM (p=0.01) and more strongly agreed that they receive SGBM education in their medical school (p=0.02) after the course as compared to before it. There was also a trend towards increased knowledge of, familiarity with, perceived importance of, and interest in SGBM after the course. Qualitative data yielded various compelling themes.
Conclusion: The SGBM preclinical elective increased learner familiarity with SGBM.
Keywords: Sex- and Gender-Based Medicine; course evaluation; undergraduate medical education.