Sabine Oertelt
Sabine Oertelt

Safety among doctors as a basis for more diverse medicine

TLC voucher project
Duration
2022 until 2023
Project member(s)
Prof. S. Oertelt (Sabine) , Linda Modderkolk
Project type
Education
Organisation
Radboud Teaching and Learning Centre

Motivation

Sex and gender have a great influence on healthcare access, treatments, and the general state of public health. Yet, these factors are still neglected in biomedical study programmes. How can a safe atmosphere in education contribute to the implementation of sex- and gender-related topics in biomedical curricula?

Incorporating sex- and gender-sensitive topics in education for medical students requires an entirely new approach when it comes to supporting students in developing critical, self-reflective, and empathic skills involving those topics.

Previous research among students namely showed that there is an explicit need for safety when it comes to discussing sex- and gender-related topics in medicine. However, the way education is currently designed insufficiently facilitates a feeling of safety.

Desired solution

The goal of this voucher project is to develop a transformative education strategy in which medical students can learn more about psychosocial topics such as sex- and gender-sensitive medicine in a safe environment. The strategy is based on theory but focused on practice in which students' own experiences and position also play a role.

Action plan

To explore which role can be assigned to the factor of safety within a transformative educational setting, Sabine Oertelt-Prigione and Linda Modderkolk are organising a week-long Summer School for doctors, researchers, and entrepreneurs from different countries. During this week, it is observed and researched how ideas on the safety of doctors and patients are formed. Different research methods are used to design the workshops and group- and self-reflections. Participants are observed and interviewed. Focus groups and creative interventions are used as well. Based on this, the groundwork for a transformative education strategy is laid.

Results

During the five-day Summer School, participants explored issues of sex and gender from the patient’s perspective. At the same time, they reflected on their own ideas, stereotypes and professional development. Among other things, the participants worked on challenging group assignments using a digital inspiration box, visited the exhibition ‘Komt een mens bij de dokter’ (‘When a person goes to the doctor’) and reflected on it. They then developed solutions to specific sex and gender issues in healthcare, such as misunderstood heart symptoms in women and challenges in transgender care. 

Oertelt and Modderkolk look back on a highly successful Summer School, which was also well received by the participants. The active learning methods and the associated autonomy were particularly appreciated. For the next edition, it is important to strike a good balance between interactive teaching methods, interpersonal exchange and individual reflection. In addition, presentations on sex and gender could offer participants more substantive guidance and a sense of security on which to build.  

The research revealed that a sense of safety amongst the participants is a necessary, yet paradoxical, condition for learning. Without safety, learning cannot take place, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics such as sex and gender. At the same time, participants sometimes held back from asking questions and offering input precisely because they wanted to protect their own feelings and those of others in order to maintain that sense of safety. This can lead to suboptimal learning outcomes. It is therefore important to agree collectively in advance on what safety means, how a safe learning environment can be created, and how sensitive topics can be discussed in an educational setting. 

Funding

This project is funded by a TLC voucher from the Radboud Teaching and Learning Centre. This voucher programme aims to set up projects in the field of educational innovation, lecturer development and educational research.

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Contact information

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Contact

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Vouchers of the Radboud Teaching and Learning Centre

With a TLC voucher you can finance the time and space to try new things in education and learn from it. You can also use it for research in your education.