Existing and Future Educational Needs in Graduate and Postgraduate Education

Introduction: This review was designed to make recommendations on future educational needs, principles of curricular development, and how the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) should address the need to enhance and promote human sexuality education around the world. Aim: To explore the ways in which graduate and postgraduate medical education in human sexuality has evolved and is currently delivered. Methods: We reviewed existing literature concerning sexuality education, curriculum development, learning strategies, educational formats, evaluation of programs, evaluation of students, and faculty development. We reviewed literature relating to four main areas: (i) the current status of the international regulation of training in sexual medicine; (ii) the current delivery of education and training in sexual medicine; (iii) resident and postgraduate education in sexual medicine surgery; and (iv) education and training for allied health professionals. Results: The main findings in these four areas are as follows. Sexual medicine has grown considerably as a specialty during the past 20 years, with many drivers being identified. However, the regulatory aspects of training, assessment, and certification are currently in the early stages of development and are in many ways lagging behind the scientific and clinical knowledge in the field. However, there are examples of the development of curricula with accompanying assessments that have attempted to set standards of education and training that might underlie the delivery of high-quality care to patients in sexual medicine. The development of competence assessment has been applied to surgical training in sexual medicine, and there is increasing interest in simulation as a means of enhancing technical skills training. Although the focus of curriculum development has largely been the medical profession, there is early interest in the development of standards for training and education of allied health professionals. Conclusion: Organizations of professionals in sexual health, such as the ISSM, have an opportunity, and indeed a responsibility, to provide and disseminate learning opportunities, curricula, and standards of training for doctors and allied health professionals in sexual medicine.