Panel discussion held on healthcare for the LGBT community
On July 21, the first ever LGBT panel discussion was held for first year Physician’s Assistant students. The intention of the panel was to provide the students with a degree of familiarity with the diversity of queer identities and vocabulary used, as well as the unique health needs of patients in the LGBT community with the goal of helping these future PAs to provide accessible and respectful care for their patients.
The panelists represented a wide cross section of the LGBT community, identifying as queer, transgender, genderqueer, and gay, and included two students from the School of Osteopathic Medicine. They shared their own experiences, both positive and negative, within health care facilities. One of the most poignant, repeated points revolved around providers inappropriately dismissing their patients and not offering preventative care based on incorrect assumptions about their patients' health risks. Panelists stressed the need for their providers to educate themselves and ask open-ended, standardized, non judgmental questions when learning about a patients' gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as acquiring appropriate resources and connections to assist in working with their patients. During the two hour event, students and panelists engaged in lively discussion and many students came forward to continue the conversation panelists after the event had ended.
“This panel was indispensable in providing students with a basis of competence in treating LGBT patients,” said panelist Ariela Zamcheck, OMS IV. “Having community members candidly share their experiences allowed the students to challenge assumptions and discomfort that has led to tremendous health disparities for queer people. I believe we were able to give the future PAs tools they can use to create beneficial, respectful partnerships with their future patients."
