As the literature suggests, there is a dire need for radical change within medical education programs and practices. To address transgender health disparities, improved medical education and awareness is needed. There is ample evidence to indicate that medical training programs in the United States do not even incorporate LGBTQ health curriculum – much less trans-specific curriculum – and if this training is included, it often equates to less than a full eight-hour workday . . It goes without saying that a one-time lesson on LGBTQ health is wholly insufficient and will not prepare medical students to adequately advocate for or care for their LGBTQ patients. A productive step toward resolving this issue would be to create a national standard requiring accrediting bodies and educational institutions to include more comprehensive LGBTQ health education in both their curricula and residency programs (Dubin, Nolan, Streed , Greene, Radix & Morrison, 2018). . With the help of NASW and social workers around the world, this goal could be achieved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One way social workers can help is by supporting curricula that offer more unique and individualized courses focused specifically on LGB health care and transgender health care, the LGB community, and the transgender community (Dubin, Nolan , Streed, Greene, Radix & Morrison, 2018). Gender identity and sexual orientation are not synonymous; however, they are often lumped together and this can easily lead to confusion and overgeneralization. By separating the transgender population from the LGBTQ umbrella, students can better understand gender inequities within the collective LGBTQ community and the healthcare system. In other words, healthcare and its outcomes may look completely different between FTM, MTF, and non-binary individuals, thus justifying the singling out of these topics. Additionally, by including courses that focus on the history, development, and dynamics of the LGB and transgender communities, training programs can increase student awareness and overall understanding of this unique population. In this way, students are encouraged to look at the “big picture” rather than something arbitrary like, for example, reproductive organs. General education courses that address LGB and transgender communities can be taught through a broader, social work, rather than exclusively medical, perspective. If social workers and institutions can encourage students to view LGBTQ individuals through a humanistic rather than medical perspective, we could see a dramatic shift in health outcomes for this community. By challenging a perspective that sees transgender individuals as a “medical anomaly,” instead viewing them as simply human, institutions would support an environment of acceptance and compassion. One way to put this idea into practice would be to establish a habit of presentation and open discussions in class. For example, on the first day of class, instructors could set an example by introducing themselves, sharing their gender identity and preferred pronoun, and then ask all students to follow their lead (Wagaman, Shelton & Carter, 2018). This practice would encourage respect, trust and inclusiveness and could be duplicated throughout the course to recognize and support the fluidity of identity and gender.?", 2014).