LGBT Health Certificate program concludes record-breaking year
On Wednesday, April 10, the 2018-2019 LGBT Health Certificate program concluded with a celebratory reception. This year, we had 93 certificate recipients who completed the series, making it the most successful academic year of the program to date. The celebration was attended by certificate recipients, in addition to Dean Blakely (School of Public Health and Information Sciences), Dean Ganzel (School of Medicine), Dean Hardin (School of Nursing), and Associate Dean Dr. Margaret Hill (School of Dentistry).
“It’s incredibly powerful to witness such a large amount of providers, students, and community members take advantage of the training opportunities made available through the certificate program. Research shows that the health disparities that exist among LGBTQ+ community are quite significant. These current and future providers are doing the work to help better understand how to close this gap.” – Aaron Weathers, Assistant Director of the LGBT Center, Health Sciences Center.
In order to receive the LGBT Health Certificate, all 93 certificate awardees were required to participate in at least 4 content modules, available in-person & online, which covered a broad range of topics related to LGBTQ+ health. Additionally, participants were also required to attend a patient simulation session in which LGBTQ+ community members acted out patient encounters with participants based on real-life scenarios and offer feedback. Individuals from across the country received the certificate, including one participant from Puerto Rico.
"The LGBTQ Certificate Program is a great example of the commitment of our institution to programs that support inclusive excellence and health equity. It makes me so proud of our faculty, staff and students who completed the program and now have a better understanding of how to effectively support our LGBTQ students and colleagues and a better understanding of the unique healthcare needs of our LGBTQ patients. Many thanks to the leaders of this program and those who participated!" – Toni Ganzel, MD, Dean of the School of Medicine
Those interested in learning more about the LGBT Health Certificate should visit: http://louisville.edu/lgbt/lgbt-hsc/lgbt-health-and-wellness-competency-certificate-1
Stay tuned for information about the 2019-2020 LGBT Health Certificate Series will be announced this summer!