A new research study has revealed that MBBS textbooks either ignore gender, transgender, and disability identities or present them as abnormal and exceptional. According to experts, such education influences doctors' thinking, leading to a disregard for respect, autonomy, and the social needs of patients during treatment.
The very textbooks that serve as the first step to becoming a doctor in India are themselves teaching discrimination. A new research study has revealed that medical textbooks taught in the country and around the world either completely ignore gender, transgender, and disability identities or present them as abnormalities, disorders, and exceptions.
Experts say that this directly affects the thinking of doctors and, subsequently, the treatment of patients. The central argument of this research is that medical textbooks do not just provide information; they shape the doctor’s perspective. If a medical student is taught that gender is only male and female, and that intersex or trans bodies are exceptions and disabilities are deficiencies or disorders, then that same perspective will be applied to patients in the OPD and wards. Experts say that doctors consider only what the textbook teaches as normal, and anything not included in the book makes the patient invisible.
Disregard for Respect, Autonomy, and Social Needs in Treatment
In this research published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care by Delhi Health University, Senior Professor Dr. Satendra Singh said that disability is still being taught under the medical model in medical education, i.e., as a deficiency, defect, or something that needs correction. He said that this perspective promotes a mindset of viewing disabled patients as diseased bodies rather than empowered individuals. As a result, respect, autonomy, and social needs are disregarded in treatment. He believes that until the foundation of medical education changes, achieving the goal of inclusive and equitable healthcare will remain difficult.
Wrong Education, Wrong Treatment…
Prof. Singh says that this situation contradicts the claims made in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Medical Commission (NMC), which advocate for making medical education more sensitive, ethical, and inclusive. The question arises: why are the social and ethical aspects of MBBS textbooks not being reviewed when changes are being made to the curriculum and evaluation methods?
The health gap will widen further…
According to the research, this bias present in medical education leads to problems such as incorrect or delayed diagnoses, neglect of mental health, and discriminatory language for transgender and disabled patients. In a country like India, where there is already inequality in access to healthcare services, this discrimination further widens the health gap.
Equity audit tool proposed for the first time: The study also suggests an equity audit framework for medical textbooks as a solution, through which the language, illustrations, examples, and case studies in the books can be examined from an inclusion perspective. Experts believe that if medical councils, universities, and publishers take steps in this direction, the training of doctors can become more equitable and patient-centric.
Parikshit Nirbhay, New Delhi, Published by: Nirmal Kant
Courtesy: Hindi News