Any LGBT medical students or physicians out there that would like to comment on your experience in med school and throughout? I am a little worried that other physicians and patients will judge me based on sexual orientation. How open is the medical community in regards to this matter and is it a struggle for LGBT students? Thanks for your input.
Here in Boston, my experience has been that essentially no one seems to care.
And on the rare occasions where someone is out of line because I am LGBT/I, I generally go and tell supportive people, and after that the problem usually stops quickly.** I have been very vocal in setting the tone that it is my work that matters and not my gender or medical circumstances. Its helped me to be very social and to network with others, especially others who advocate and support institutional diversity and/or LGBT/I equal rights. I can't emphasis enough how important friends and supportive coworkers are in this sort of situation, and to work for an institution where the culture is supportive. (Or to go to a school where the culture is supportive.)
Situations like this, IMO, can either partially or almost exclusively depend on:
1.
How many friends or supportive coworkers you have.
2.
The culture of the institution or department. (I wish all hospitals and medical schools had active diversity committees and LGBT/I employee networks for the reasons described above this list. - And ideally a LGBT network that is mature and inclusion*/anti-harassment focused, rather than falling prey to a tendency that some, especially younger, LGBT clubs have of devolving into dating games or unofficial pageants. A good director of diversity can help set and maintain an inclusive appropriate tone. It helps for diversity to have some say in the hiring/lay off/firing process. *Inclusion can extend to HR benefits for same-sex partners and insurance for transgender and intersex people.)
3.
Your appearance including involuntary physical features, as much I feel that's wrong.
4. Your race and other
minority categories you fall into, as much as I feel that shouldn't be. (I had an acquaintance in college who got hired for a job in a somehow very backwards place where he said that the LGBT friendly group generally disliked racial minorities, and the group that was friendly to racial minorities disliked "gays." I'm glad he doesn't work there anymore.)
5. How well
you handle problematic situations. Some areas have training workshops that teach individuals how to handle workplace problems, including problems centered around being LGBT/I.
6.
How assertive you are. (If someone says something to me in a disrespectful tone, they will get called on it immediately. If a disparity seems to come up where I think I'm quietly being discriminated against, I ask all of my supportive coworkers about it or at least comment about it to the right people. Example from quite a while ago, "I don't understand why I'm being told not to check on patients and the other volunteer isn't. What do you think is going on?" In a supportive institution, this makes it very difficult for discrimination to go on continuously.)
7.
Where in the world you are. I wrote this with the northeastern USA in mind.
While interviewing for medical school and for jobs, I am going to ask if the institution values diversity and what sorts of committees, clubs, or supportive networks are in place. This not only serves to inform me, but also sends a message to the group doing the interview. (In this day and age there are many institutions getting internal pressure to value LGBT applicants, and any sign of external interest can help to reinforce the message.)
Given all of the health problems, health trends, and occasional outbreaks unique to the LGBT population (ex. gay men and meningitis last year), I wish LGBT would be added to the list of URM categories already!
**If you ever end up in a situation where your peers are okay with your being treated horribly, and you've done everything you can to try to fix things, but the horrible treatment doesn't stop, it is time to leave. Sue if you want, but also leave. If this happens, you were not "defeated," but most likely out-numbered, out-ranked, and out-gunned in that particular instance. Keep your head up and move on.
***I also acknowledge that certain LGBT candidates with lower stats may feel forced to go to medical school in an intolerant environment. It's sad that the school that are the best for diversity are often nearly limited to the top ranked places. Getting stuck in an intolerant school or workplace can be a very serious matter as LGBT students are often a greater target for all sorts of stuff, hostile treatment, attacks, rapes, discrimination and non-physical threats, etc., possibly leading to ongoing health and mental health issues. I have no solution for that problem at the moment, but will continue to raise my voice until something hopefully happens to improve things.
Remember that there's awesome work places like Fenway Community Health Center and JRI. Even if you don't like those options or can't get in, there's still may be a chance that (if you want to) you can serve as a leader and ensure a that your office and your practice is clearly LGBT welcoming.
