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Chapter 21 - The Role of Students in Advocating for Training in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

from Section III - Family Planning Curricular Design & Implementation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2021

By
Lois V. Backus  and
Rebecca Henderson
Edited by
Uta Landy ,
Philip D Darney  and
Jody Steinauer
Uta Landy
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco
Philip D Darney
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco
Jody Steinauer
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco
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Summary

Medical students are uniquely placed in the medical education system to advocate for improvements in their education. Stigmatized aspects of sexual and reproductive healthcare, such as abortion, are areas where this constituency can be powerful advocates if organized to use their collective power to influence educational change. This chapter describes how efforts by medical students and others to promote the integration of all aspects of sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortion, within medical education have been effective strategies resulting in greater access to comprehensive education on family planning topics. The authors review strategies medical students have used to reform their curriculum and the spread of medical student activism throughout the world. They also argue for the importance of mentors in supporting medical students, reforming curricula and sustaining efforts across regions, through all levels of medical education, and into medical practice.

Keywords

Medical educationmedical studentsadvocacycurriculumabortioncontraceptioncommunity organizingmentorship
Type
Chapter
Information
Advancing Women's Health Through Medical Education
A Systems Approach in Family Planning and Abortion
 , pp. 211 - 220
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

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