Student pharmacists' perceptions of transgender health management

Introduction: To measure the general perceptions and attitudes of pharmacy students toward transgender patients and health and evaluate students' level of support for receiving education in transgender healthcare. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey delivered online to approximately 60 s-year pharmacy students enrolled in a required pharmacotherapy course at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Students received a survey link, with five questions for completion prior to the Gender Transition Therapeutics lecture and a separate link with 11 questions for completion post-lecture. Responses were anonymous with no identifiers collected and multiplechoice, using Likert-scale questions aimed at gathering respondents' perceptions of managing transgender patients and support for receiving additional education in transgender healthcare. Results: Survey results indicated that students' cultural competency and confidence in managing transgender patients increased after lecture, and that they support integrating transgender health into pharmacy education. Significant findings include: 67% of students lacked confidence in their ability to treat transgender patients prior to the lecture while only 20% of students reported this lack after the lecture. 51% of students reported being aware of barriers-to-care experienced by the transgender population compared to 92% of students after the lecture. After the lecture, 87% agree pharmacists need more education in transgender health, and 74% support integrating this education into pharmacy curricula. Conclusions: Students' confidence in managing transgender health increases after didactic education, and overall, students support integrating transgender health education into pharmacy school curricula.