Teaching Sex- and Gender-Sensitive Medicine Is Not Just a Matter of Content

Abstract

Despite a growing integration of sex and gender-sensitive content in medical education around the globe, the focus on content often leads to a lack of consideration of the hidden curriculum. To foster an inclusive, sex- and gender-sensitive culture in medical education, we have to take a holistic approach that transcends a sole focus on explicit teaching content. This article provides reflections about the practice of teaching sex and gender-sensitive medicine focusing on the impactful yet implicit notions we convey about sex and gender in medical education. We propose action for leaders and teachers in medical education to explicitly address sex/gender in the hidden curriculum and within their institution, challenging the invisible practices of academia in the medical field.