Advocates Push for Change: Inclusion of Women's Sexual Dysfunction in Canadian Medical School Curricula

Did you know?that women’s sexual dysfunction (as it’s called medically, but known to us as pain during sex, reduced desire, and difficulty with arousal or orgasm) isn’t covered in almost all?Canadian medical school curricula?

Compare that to the multiple times male sexual dysfunction appears.

Dr. Lauren Clarfield?and Laura Diamond, doctor-in-training, set out to change that. Lauren and Laura are in medical training at the University of Toronto. Laura is completing her fourth year of medical school and Lauren is completing her first year residency in OB/GYN.?

It started when Lauren was a second year medical student shadowing in a colorectal cancer clinic. For the first time in eight months of clinical work, her preceptor suggested she probe her female patients regarding their sexual functioning following their surgery, which is a known complication. Though passionate to engage in this discussion, she realized she had never been exposed to an approach to this common medical concern and as such, was ill-equipped to initiate a sensitive, important discussion with these patients.?

Female sexual dysfunction was left silent?across the entire curriculum. In stark contrast to the quoted 40 percent of women who experience some form of sexual dysfunction, and 20 per cent who experience pain during sex, an approach to female dysfunction occupied zero percent of the medical school curriculum. Lauren and Laura wanted to know why. And,?they wanted to change that.

Dr. Clarfield led the charge?and banded with three of her medical student colleagues to convince those responsible for curriculum at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine to make a change. Following extensive research, expert opinions, and several presentations, the female sexual dysfunction advocacy group successfully integrated a testable module and chapter topic into the University of Toronto curriculum. For the first time, medical school graduates from UofT would be equipped with an approach and skills to address this prevalent issue.?

Laura has since banded with medical students across the country to forge the same change. She is determined to ensure graduating docs across Canada will be trained (and tested!) to support women in their sexual health.?

Next up??Laura plans to enhance care for pregnant patients who are living with HIV.?She’s determined to make the counseling surrounding feeding newborns and babies more aligned with the mom’s cultural norms.?

Lauren has her own list of things she’s primed to take on, starting with work to reduce wait time to operating rooms for women with ectopic pregnancies who require surgery.Right now, wait times are painfully long – literally.?

They’ve got their eyes on more ways to make real change in their industry:?increasing support for postpartum mental health, addressing access to government-funded, cancer-prevention surgeries for trans male patients who have changed the gender on their health card, call to action for HPV vaccines missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and improving access to endometrial surgery for those with debilitating endometriosis.

These are two women to celebrate on International Women's Day!