Mission Statement, Goals and Objectives

Raising awareness and breaking down
health barriers for the LGBT community

WHAT IS THE LGBT HEALTH AC?

LGBT Health Action Committee is one of eight Action Committees within AMSA. We are a group of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender medical students and our straight Allies who support each other and work to educate the medical school community. We are committed advocates of LGBT patients, who are an invisible minority that is often left unrecognized and sometimes openly stigmatized by medical institutions. We welcome all AMSA members, regardless of sexual orientation, to join us.

MISSION STATEMENT

• Support LGBT medical students, by providing a safe and supportive environment, advocating for their rights against discrimination, and providing resources to make their medical education a positive experience.
• Advocate for LGBT patients, by advocating the inclusion of LGBT health issues in medical school curriculum and improving the quality of patient care through physician sensitivity.
• Break down the prejudices and misconceptions concerning LGBT people that act as a barrier to education and patient care, by providing medical students with the resources and tools they need to begin advocating for LGBT patients and peers at their institution.

NATIONAL GOALS

1. Advocate for change in Institutional Policies that continue to discriminate on the basis of Sexual Orientation.
2. Educate the medical community about the unique health concerns of LGBT patients and raise awareness within the LGBT community.
3. Outreach to our straight medical student peers and encourage a "straight but not narrow" attitude towards LGBT peers and patients. We ask them to be our ADVOCATES, not necessarily activists.
4. Strengthen the LGBT HAC network and visibility of current LGBT HAC Chapters nationwide.

ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES

• Establishment of an LGBT HAC chapter at each US medical school, to provide support for LGBT students and resources concerning LGBT health issues.
• Inclusion of LGBT health issues in the curriculum of every medical school, to raise awareness of unique health concerns of LGBT patients.
• Ensure all graduating physicians entering medicine will practice with sensitivity and understanding toward LGBT patients.