It Takes a Village: Empowering the Future of Women’s Health Care through Interdisciplinary Curriculum in Internal Medicine Residency Programs

Since 2015, a novel interdisciplinary curriculum has been successfully implemented in Internal Medicine residency programs to enhance education in women’s health, gender-affirming care, and health disparities. Led by Janet Henrich, MD, the curriculum was developed collaboratively by faculty from various disciplines, including Internal Medicine; Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences; Surgery; and community experts.

The curriculum consists of half-day modules on interconnected topics that emphasize health equity and interactive learning. Since its implementation in 2015 for approximately 175 residents annually, the curriculum’s impact was evaluated through anonymous surveys. The data from 2022-2023 revealed that 90% of the 131 resident respondents felt adequately prepared to apply the skills they had learned. There was a consistent trend of increased comfort with the material observed across previous years.

The innovative educational approach has proven effective in enhancing resident learning and readiness. The team hopes that this success can be replicated in other medical training programs to address crucial issues in women’s and gender-affirming care education and create a more equitable healthcare environment. For more information on this successful interdisciplinary approach to healthcare education, refer to the article “It Takes a Village: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Preparing Internal Medicine Residents to Care for Patients at the Intersection of Women’s Health, Gender-Affirming Care, and Health Disparities” published in the Journal of Women’s Health authored by Henrich JB, Richman I, Rabin TL, Gielissen KA, Dhond M