Gender in medical curricula: course organizer views of a gender-issues perspective in medicine in Sweden.

While there is growing awareness of the importance of gender issues in medicine, with new knowledge and new perspectives intensely debated, reports on the implementation of gender issues into medical curricula are scarce. In 1996, the Medical Faculty of Göteborg University, Sweden, determined that a gender-issues perspective be included in medical education. In 1999, course organizers from preclinical and clinical departments of the faculty were interviewed to determine whether they felt that a gender-issues perspective had contributed to their scientific field and, if so, how they implemented it in their teaching. The interviews revealed varied opinions on the relevance of this perspective in medicine. These variations followed gender division rather than that of preclinicians/clinicians. Thus, female gender was overwhelming for inspiring and introducing a gender-issues perspective both scientifically and practically. Positivism is firmly established in medicine and this must be taken into consideration when introducing a more culturally- and socially-based understanding of sex/gender issues. Female gender is important in this process, but successful implementation requires thorough faculty support and participation of male colleagues and students.