A survey of Australian medical students’ perspectives on their men’s health education.

“I’d have no idea how to go about this…” - a survey of Australian medical students’ perspectives on their men’s health education. Seidler, Z.E., Benakovic, R., Wilson, M.J. et al., 2024. BMC Medical Education https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05045-6

A stated objective of the Australian National Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2030 is to “strengthen the capacity of the health system to provide quality care for all men and boys”, yet the extent to which our health system meets the needs of men and boys is not well defined.

A national survey of 83 medical students – from 17 of Australia’s 21 accredited medical schools – was performed to ascertain their perceptions of their understanding of men’s health, their readiness to provide appropriate care for male patients, and coverage of men’s health during their medical education.

The majority of students (69%) defined men’s health in holistic terms, with some referring to gender roles and masculinities that influence health beliefs and behaviours. Only a minority (26%) defined men’s health solely in terms of male sexual, urological and reproductive issues. 

The thorough understanding of men’s health that is reflected by some students’ definitions was not matched by their perceptions of coverage of men’s health during their medical education. No students reported thorough coverage, and the majority (65%) reported that it was minimal or that there was none at all.

Only eight students reported opportunities for electives in men’s health, whereas 45 stated opportunities for women’s health electives. Six students felt “thoroughly prepared” for working with men, whereas 24 felt the same way about working with women.

Eighty-six per cent of students stated a desire for more men’s health content in their course.

Some students who took the opportunity to provide written responses in the survey mentioned that their education reinforced the gender stereotype of men as reluctant and “difficult” patients.

The study investigators consider men’s health content in medical education to be “inadequate” and call on medical educators to “respond to the clear desire among students for more comprehensive gender-sensitive, competency-based training”.