INFLUENCE OF A FRESHMAN-YEAR PANEL PRESENTATION ON MEDICAL-STUDENTS ATTITUDES TOWARD HOMOSEXUALITY

Purpose. To explore medical students' changes in group attitude toward homosexuality following mid-year exposure as freshmen to a panel pres entation on the topic and, later, following clinical experiences. Meth od. At the beginning, middle, and end of 1991-92 and during the psychi atry clerkship in 1993-94, all 186 students in the class of 1995 at th e Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans were as ked to complete anonymously the Index of Attitudes toward Homosexuals. The two subsequent entering classes were also surveyed, at the beginn ing and in the middle of their freshman year. Results. Group attitudes among the three consecutive classes were remarkably consistent. The o riginal cohort displayed a decrease in group homophobic attitude over time, with the reduced mean score at mid-year continuing its downward trend at year's end, though rebounding somewhat by the junior year. Ho wever, the group mean score remained in the low-grade homophobic categ ory throughout the three-year study. Conclusion. That the mean scores of the three classes remained at the low-grade homophobic level sugges ts the desirability of establishing an ongoing forum to enable student s to examine all deeply held beliefs that may affect patient care.