University of Georgia

The Pre-Professional Advising Office is committed to supporting students of all backgrounds and identities who are pursuing careers in healthcare. Our intention for this resource is to support pre-health students who are LGBTQ+ by connecting them to additional resources. We strive for a future where healthcare providers reflect the diversity of their patients and the communities they serve.

To better serve individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, we must address the health disparities affecting this population and increase LGBTQ+ representation in the healthcare workforce. Increasingly, health professional schools are realizing this need and are actively recruiting LGBTQ+ students. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published a news report on changing the culture of medical students and the implications on healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community.

As a pre-health student, you may wonder what resources and information are available to you. Below we have included links to some resources which may be helpful to LGBTQ+ students and their allies.

The Pride Center at the University of Georgia

  • The mission of the Pride Center at the University of Georgia is to foster an inclusive, informed community for LGBTQIA+ individuals through collaboration, education, and advocacy. They offer myriad of resources to students, such as an LGBT library and various programming throughout the year. Be sure to sign-up for their e-newsletter for the latest opportunities.

UGA Health Center

  • UHC is committed to providing comprehensive and inclusive care for transgender and gender non-conforming students.
  • To meet with a mental health provider to discuss gender issues, please call CAPS at 706-542-2273 and ask for an appointment with Dr. Shannon Bowles (she/her/hers).

Pride Alliance

  • The mission of the Pride Alliance as a student organization is to support the student LGBTQA community at The University of Georgia through education, outreach, advocacy, inclusivity, community, and racial justice work.

Athens Pride

  • Athens PRIDE exists to promote community, fellowship, and support around lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues in the greater Athens, GA area. This purpose is furthered through advocacy, outreach, education, communication, and event sponsorship.

Equality Foundation of Georgia

  • Georgia Equality’s mission is to advance fairness, safety and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and our allies throughout the state. Georgia Equality, Inc. also works year-round to pass pro-equality legislation and elect fair-minded elected officials.

LaGender, Inc.

  • Atlanta community-based organization focusing on the health and wellbeing of transgender people in Atlanta. LaGender, Inc.’s primary constituency served is transgender women of color.

Trans(forming)

  • A metro Atlanta membership-based organization led by trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming people of color, assigned female at birth.

Equality Clinic of Augusta

  • An interprofessional endeavour dedicated to abolishing barriers to health care, serving the health needs of the underinsured LGBTQ community, and educating current and future providers on cooperative, compassionate patient care.

Medical Student Pride Alliance

  • Activist and social organization committed to empowering sexual and gender minority medical students and allies, with chapters at medical schools across the U.S.

OutCare Health Mentorship Program

  • OutCare Health, a non-profit that provides information on LGBTQ health and connections to LGBTQ competent care, offers students the opportunity to connect with an LGBTQ professional in healthcare for mentoring.

Point Foundation

  • The Point Foundation “empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential,” and has provided scholarships to LGBTQ medical students.

American Medical Student Association

  • AMSA’s Gender and Sexuality Action Committee is “dedicated to combating sexism and heterosexism, and to assuring equal access to medical care and equality within medical education.”

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)

  • Interdisciplinary professional and educational organization devoted to transgender health. Their professional, supporting, and student members engage in clinical and academic research to develop evidence-based medicine and strive to promote a high quality of care for transsexual, transgender, and gender-nonconforming individuals internationally.

The National LGBTQ Health Conference

  • Interdisciplinary forum that provides an opportunity for presentation and discussion of current health research and programs for LGBTQ adults and adolescents with the overall goal of addressing health inequities for this highly impacted group.

Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality

  • A national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and all sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals, and equality for LGBTQ/SGM health professionals in their work and learning environments.

Pride Veterinary Medical Community

  • The Pride VMC fosters acceptance and inclusivity for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities within the veterinary profession. Pride VMC offers support, mentorship and is a fiscal sponsor of the national Pride SVMC.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program for LGBTQ Health Summer Internship Program

  • The Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health offers 10-week internships each summer to undergraduate and graduate students (including medical and nursing school students) with an interest in LGBTQ health and research.

Feminist Women’s Health Center

  • Feminist Center’s internship program based in Atlanta is an excellent opportunity for anyone who is looking to gain hands-on with an independent nonprofit organization that provides reproductive healthcare.

Victory Institute Internship

  • The Victory Institute’s Victory Congressional Internship is developing the next generation of LGBTQ public leaders. Each semester, the Victory Congressional Internship brings outstanding LGBTQ undergraduate students to Washington, DC, for an intensive leadership program.
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