Gender Medicine

by Dr. med. Tanja Volm, University of Nicosia Medical School Academic Lead, Hirslanden Group, Switzerland.

Introduction by Alexia Papageorgiou, Professor in Medical Education and Clinical Communication, University of Nicosia Medical School.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Gender medicine is increasingly becoming part of medical training programmes. Its primary focus is on the role of sex and gender in the incidence, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Gender Medicine also includes the different perceptions of men and women for health-related issues as well as the topic of gender bias. In addition, Gender Medicine deals with the manifestations of sex and gender (e.g. transgender people) and their influence on medical care, as well as with the role of gender in the workplace (career, choice of profession, sexual harassment) and with the social gender-specific causes of disease (domestic violence, role models, risk behaviour.) It is a prime example of individualized medicine and an important aspect of a new bio-psycho-social model for medicine, and as such, it is regarded as a ‘must’ for  medical curriculums.

Dr. med. Tanja Volm, Director of the Hirslanden Institute for Medical Education in Switzerland, developed the first module of Gender Medicine for medical students at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland. Two more modules for Health Science students are currently being developed and will start in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. med. Tanja Volm is UNIC’s Medical School Academic Lead at Klinik Hirslanden, Zurich, which is part of Hirslanden Group, the largest medical network in Switzerland, comprising 17 hospitals, more than 100 competence centres and over 2,000 doctors. She is a German-Swiss Gynaecologist, Gynaecologic Oncologist and Palliative Care Specialist. Dr Volm was trained in Germany (Heidelberg and Ulm) and the UK (Oxford) and received her specialist training from the University of Ulm.

Dr. med. Volm earned her PhD from the Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University. Tanja developed the clinical and certification standard for Breast Cancer Centres, is a co-author of the first German guideline for breast cancer, and a member of the German consortium for familial breast cancer. She has also developed several clinical teaching modules for the universities of Zurich, Lucern and for several other universities of Applied Sciences.

Tanja is the CEO of the Hirslanden Institute for Medical Education, which is part of Hirslanden Group. She is also the CEO of EVO Consult Swiss GmbH, a consultancy business for health care, situated in Switzerland, supporting hospitals in creating competence, defining their future and building up new structures.