A Pediatric Transgender Medicine Curriculum for Multidisciplinary Trainees

INTRODUCTION: While pediatricians should receive training in the care of transgender youth, a paucity of formal educational curricula have been developed to train learners to care for this vulnerable population. METHODS: We developed a curriculum including six online modules and an in-person afternoon session observing clinic visits in a pediatric gender clinic. Learners—fourth-year medical students, interns, and nurse practitioner trainees—received protected time during an adolescent medicine rotation to complete the online modules (total duration: 77 minutes). For 20 learners, we assessed the impact of the entire curriculum—online modules and in-person observation—on self-perceived knowledge of considerations for transgender youth. For 31 learners, we assessed the effect of the online modules alone on knowledge and self-efficacy. Descriptive analyses illustrated changes in educational domains by learner group. RESULTS: On evaluations of the entire curriculum (modules and observation), median self-perceived knowledge scores (1 = not at all knowledgeable/aware, 5 = extremely knowledgeable/aware) increased within learner groups: pediatric interns (from 2.3 to 4.0), nurse practitioner trainees (from 2.9 to 4.7), fourth-year medical students (from 3.3 to 4.9), and psychiatry interns (from 2.8 to 4.4). Assessment of learners completing only the online modules demonstrated increases in median knowledge and self-efficacy scores within learner groups. All learner groups highly valued the curriculum. DISCUSSION: Our curriculum for multidisciplinary learners in the care of transgender youth was successful and well received. Increasing learner knowledge and self-efficacy is an important step towards skill development in patient care for the transgender youth population.