(061) The State of Female Sexual Medicine in a Major US City: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Mmedical Education in Chicagoland
Authors: Negris O , Codispoti N , Peterson A , Romanello J , Myers M , Rubin R 
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Sexual health is a critical aspect of overall health and well-being. While research shows that roughly one-third of patients in the United States (US) have sexual dysfunction, only half of US medical schools require formal sexual health instruction. With limited standardization, medical students and trainees have little to no training in how to approach a patient with sexual health concerns. This results in under-preparedness among physicians in addressing essential issues related to female sexual medicine (FSM). Therefore, we identified the need to determine which components of FSM are included in medical education.

Objective

This study examines current preclinical and clinical curricula from medical institutions in the Chicagoland area to evaluate the extent to which FSM is being included in medical education in this major US city.

Methods

Preclinical curriculum materials on female sexual anatomy, physiology, and pathology, as well as Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) clinical materials (i.e., syllabi, synchronous lecture materials, and supplemental resources) were collected from all seven medical schools, including six allopathic and one osteopathic institution, in the Chicagoland area. To standardize our needs assessment, we utilized previous literature to identify specific components of medical school content to evaluate. Upon reviewing each institution's educational materials, we assessed goals of each syllabus in terms of required content and evaluated materials for topic saturation.

Results

Curriculum materials were collected from seven (n=7) medical schools. In the preclinical assessment, 4/7 discussed clitoral anatomy, with 1/7 mentioning the corona, 2/7 mentioning the clitoral hood, and 4/7 mentioning the corpus spongiosum. In addition, 4/7 discussed the physiology of the female orgasm, 3/7 highlighted the prevalence and epidemiology of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), 3/7 included information on treatment for FSD, and 1/7 taught a genitourinary physical exam specific to assessing FSD. When assessing clinical materials, 5/7 institutions dedicate 6 weeks to the core OBGYN clerkship. When comparing the aims specified in the clerkship syllabi, 5/7 institutions included topics related to FSM. Of these, only one institution had corresponding required synchronous clerkship time dedicated to these topics as a one-hour long lecture. One other program offered supplemental case-based gynecology modules including topics such as vulvar and vaginal diseases and chronic pelvic pain, though sexual pleasure, arousal, and libido were not discussed. Furthermore, only one program offered training to third-year clinical students in comprehensive sexual history taking practices, including screening for female sexual dysfunction. The format for this was an optional online module for students to complete independently.

Conclusions

Our focused needs assessment of both allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in the Chicagoland area reveals inconsistencies in outlined institution-specific course goals and thus highlights the need for restructuring the medical school curricula to include topics related to FSM. Future directions of this work will include proposing curricular recommendations to these institutions with the goal of standardizing and enhancing medical student exposure to FSM topics. FSM is a critical domain that requires consistent representation in medical education to equip physicians to recognize and treat patients with sexual dysfunction.

Disclosure

No