LGBTQ+ Health—a Novel Course for Undergraduate Students

The concept of providing focused, competency-based LGBTQ+ health education outside the setting of health professional programs, specifically for undergraduates, is quite uncharted. However, the issue at the core of our rationale is one shared by those with and without clinical exposure: how to best support the development of cultural competence in providers who are or will be caring for LGBTQ+ patients. Traditional health professional education programs have enacted a number of curricular initiatives in this regard, designed for advanced learners. By focusing specifically on the undifferentiated learner, we offer a new perspective on the timing of LGBTQ+ health-related education. Our course is not intended to supplant the critical learning and application that must occur in the clinic or hospital room. Rather, we present a framework for cultivating understanding of the healthcare issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community that may help a learner to acquire and apply skills subsequently with greater cultural competence.