We very much appreciate Verna Yiu's recent article on the well-being of medical students and the enormous level of stress we face.1 It is very important for medical schools not to overlook the psychosocial health of the future physician workforce.
Students from marginalized populations, such as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) medical trainees, face additional sources of stress that go beyond the “normal stressors of everyday life.” They have to contend with prejudice from others in the medical community;2,3,4 the medical profession has traditionally been more conservative than many other fields.
GLBT medical trainees are still being marginalized in the profession.5,6,7,8,9Hateful jokes and disrespectful attitudes from peers and superiors make it difficult for GLBT students to relate to others in the social and professional settings of medical schools, thereby putting additional strains on their working relationships and career choice decisions.2,4,6,7 Also, because of their sexual orientation, GLBT students and residents are often the targets of unprofessional behaviours, such as harassment and academic mistreatment, from their supervisors and faculty members.9,10
Although Canadian medical schools have been proactive in supporting other underrepresented groups in the profession, such as women and Aboriginal medical students, more work is needed to address the needs of GLBT medical students.