Elective Module
Date: TBD 2027
Venue: Bern (participation in person or online)
Language: English
Registration single module: Registration
Fee: two-day module CHF 500, single-day booking CHF 280 (from November 2026: CHF 830 and CHF 430)
Credits
1 ECTS point two-day module
CME points applied for “Schweizerische Akademie für Psychosomatische und Psychosoziale Medizin SAPPM”
Content
Sex-specific differences shape primary healthcare at many levels, from diagnosis and prevention to pain management and referral to specialists. Certain diseases are recognised and treated differently in women and men. In addition, topics such as intimate partner violence and the healthcare needs of LGBT+ individuals play an important role. This module provides an overview of these sex- and gender-related aspects and demonstrates how they can be integrated into primary care practice.
Specifically, the module covers the following topics:
Primary Care and Family Medicine
- Gender aspects in history taking, diagnosis, and treatment
- Sex- and gender-specific needs in patient management
- Gender stereotypes in clinical practice
- The role of gender in clinical decision-making
Pain Management
- Sex differences in pain perception and pain processing
- The influence of biological and social factors
- Gender stereotypes in the management of pain
- Implications for diagnosis and treatment
Prevention
- Sex differences in preventive health behaviour
- Differences in risk perception and health behaviour
- Gender-sensitive prevention strategies
- Opportunities and challenges in prevention
Ageing
- Sex-specific health aspects in older age
- Differences in diagnosis and medication use
- The influence of social determinants and living conditions
- Health and functional limitations in later life
Intimate Partner Violence
- Sex-specific patterns of victimisation and risk factors
- The WHO model for prevention and intervention
- The role of primary care practices
- Collaboration with regional support networks
Palliative Care
- Sex differences at the end of life
- Advance care planning and decision-making
- Sex-specific research gaps
- Implications for primary healthcare
LGBT+ in Primary Healthcare
- LGBT+-inclusive care in general practice
- Effects of stigma and discrimination
- Access to healthcare and safe care environments
- Specific physical and mental health risks
- The relevance of sex, anatomy, and transgender identity
Communication and Interaction
- Reflecting on one’s own positionality
- The influence of social factors on the patient–provider relationship
- Recognising implicit biases
- Reflexivity in clinical practice
- Discrimination-sensitive communication and care
Objectives
Participants
- can recognize sex and gender specificities in a selection of primary care topics (pain management, prevention, care of older patients)
- develop a critical awareness of common gender stereotypes that might bias clinical activities and management of patients in primary care
- include intimate partner violence into the health issues to be addressed by general practitioners
- acquire knowledge about specific needs of LGBT+ people in primary health care
- engage in a reflexive exercise to identify how one’s social position influences the relation to others in clinical practice