LGBT training at Drexel University School of Public Health

Background: The Drexel University Program for LGBT Health was launched in 2009, to establish a venue for developing multi-disciplinary research and theoretical innovations as well as educating and training professionals in the specific needs and experiences of sexual minority and transgender communities.

Program Goals: Three courses comprise the educational core of the Program.

“LGBT Health Disparities” introduces health issues specific to LGBT Communities.

“Studying Rare or Hidden Groups” explores how methods used in public health research can be modified to conduct research on rare, stigmatized and/or hidden populations.

“Intersectional Perspectives” probes the complexity of issues intersecting social identities and social inequality.

Results: In its first year the curriculum was offered as electives to MPH students and drew an average of 10 students per class. Student participation and reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

Educational instruction also includes extracurricular workshops and forums sponsored by the Program, such as Grand Rounds Lectures and LGBT-themed discussion groups, as well as collaborations with other LGBT-supportive campus organizations.

Ongoing Challenges: The transformation of the curriculum into online delivery as a Certificate is meeting with challenges including the availability of instructors. Options for rotating the scheduled courses between classroom and online formats are being investigated.

University policies encumber current full-time students from taking all three courses as electives within the regular MPH degree program and may restrict access of MPH students to the courses when they are provided online.

LGBT students can face financial and other barriers to education like other minority students that must be recognized.