LGBTQ Cultural Competency Training

First Choice VIP Care understands how important trust and a positive relationship between a patient and their health care provider can be to reducing barriers to care. For members of the LGBTQ community, encountering discrimination and societal stigma increases the risk of poor physical and mental health outcomes.

With an aim to increase sensitivity, awareness, and knowledge, and to help decrease potential disparities, ongoing cultural competency training and resources will be offered on this page. Please check often for updated information and trainings.

The following sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) courses are offered through the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, a program of the Fenway Institute, for no-cost continuing medical education (CME) credits. The course topics include:

• General SOGI health care education.
• Elder and aging SOGI health education.
• Transgender, nonbinary, and gender-affirming health education.
• Youth SOGI health education.
• SOGI health care education for racial and ethnic minorities.

Please note: To receive CME credit for the courses listed below, you must be registered as a user on the Health Education Center website and complete the evaluation of the course while logged into your user account.

General SOGI health care education

The purpose of this section is to provide a general overview of the health care needs of the SOGI minority population.

• Providing Quality Care to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patients: An Introduction for Staff Training
• Affirming LGBT People through Effective Communication
• Achieving Health Equity for LGBT People
• Getting to Zero: Reducing HIV Incidence through Screening, Treatment, and Prevention
• Same-Sex Domestic Violence: Considerations, Suggestions, and Resources
• Addressing Social Determinants of Health for LGBTQ People
• Addressing Social Determinants of Health for LGBTQ People: Part 2
• Addressing Opioid Use Disorders among LGBT People through Trauma-informed Care and Behavioral Health Integration
• LGBT Health Disparities & Hypertension Control Opportunities with the American Heart

Elder and aging SOGI health education

The purpose of this section is to educate providers on topics relevant to caring for aging and elder members of the SOGI population.

• LGBT Aging: Change, Challenge and Resilience
• LGBT Aging 101: What You Need To Know About Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Older Adults and Caregivers
• Caring for LGBT Older Adults

Transgender, nonbinary, and gender-affirming health education

The purpose of this section is to offer providers education on general health care issues for transgender and nonbinary patients, as well as gender-affirming best care practices.

• Insurance Considerations for Navigating Gender-affirming Care
• Behavioral Health Assessments and Referral for Gender-Affirming Surgery
• Navigating Gender Affirming Care
• Providing Mental Health Assessments for Gender Affirming Surgery Referral Letters
• Behavioral Health Care for Transgender Adults
• Clinical Care for Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Patients
• Improving Health Care for Transgender People

Youth SOGI health education

The purpose of this section is to offer providers education on general health care issues for youth SOGI minority patients.

• Addressing Obesity, Feeding and Eating Disorders, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder among LGBTQ Youth
• Gender Nonconforming Youth in Pediatrics & Primary Care: Opportunities for Better Outcomes
• Caring for LGBTQ Youth in Clinical Settings

SOGI health care education for racial and ethnic minorities

The purpose of this section is to offer education on general health care issues for providers supporting racial and ethnic minority LGBTQ patients.

• Understanding and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health for Black LGBTQ People: An Example of the Way Forward for Health Centers
• What's new in STI epidemiology, prevention, and treatment for Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)
• Black MSM and PrEP: Challenges and Opportunities
• Calidad de cuidado para lesbianas, gays, bisexuales, transgéneros y transexuals: Eliminando la invisibilidad y las disparidades en salud