Community of Practice Meeting – Engendering Medical Education

Over the past two years, CEHAT’s initiative on Engendering Medical Education has fostered a Community of Practice (CoP) for gender champions within the health system. This platform continues to serve as a space for dialogue, reflection, and action on integrating gender perspectives into medical education and healthcare practice.

In the recent CoP meeting held on 28th August 2025, we were privileged to host Dr. Bhagirath Sinh Parmar, Associate Professor, Department of ENT, GMERS Medical College, Dharpur, Gujarat, who presented his paper titled “Implementing Gender-Informed Patient Care Approach for Women via Immersive Techniques in a Rural Medical College of Gujarat.” Dr. Parmar’s presentation outlined the urgent need for gender-sensitive medical graduates who can deliver comprehensive and respectful healthcare. He highlighted the barriers faced by women and transgender patients, including lack of privacy, stigma, under-diagnosis of chronic conditions, and neglect of survivors of violence. The project used innovative immersive techniques such as Blanketed by Blame, Power Walk, Spider Web, and Role Play to sensitise students, interns, and residents.

Findings demonstrated significant improvement in empathy, communication, and patient satisfaction, offering a scalable model for medical education. The session concluded with an open discussion on strategies to deepen gender integration in curricula and clinical practice.