Historically, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals have faced and ongoing adversity pertaining to societal acceptance, political and social recognition, as well as equitable treatment (Morris, 2017). These challenges may often be perpetuated by systemic barriers that reinforce discrimination, contributing to social and health adversities (National Coalition for LGBTQ Health, 2025). Although the world has become increasingly progressive in ordaining rights to LGBTQ+ individuals and increasing social acceptance, harmful prejudice and rhetoric continue to linger, affecting their daily lives. One such example is through inequitable access and care of LGBTQ+ individuals in the medical setting (Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2024).

 
     In the GHSA Program to India, I will be primarily researching the relevance of culture on beliefs about medical school training preparation for working with LGBTQ+ clients in Mysore, India. Specifically, I am interested in understanding how the intersection of cultural belief systems and secular medical training can interact and produce specific perceptions. By understanding this, knowledge can be used to improve training so medical students can be better equipped to provide equitable care to LGBTQ+ patients. 

     My target population will consist of undergraduate and early postgraduate medical students, aged 18–30, in Mysore, India. I am most focused on how these perceptions intersect with behavioral outcomes such as confidence in clinical encounters with LGBTQ+ individuals and willingness to provide equitable care. This will be explored by analyzing the following statements: 
1) I would rather avoid administering and advising about medication for LGBTQ patients.
2) I would rather avoid consultations with LGBTQ patients as much as possible.
3) I feel that it is too much work to deal with LGBTQ patients.
This will be achieved by conducting qualitative interviews or guided discussions that are structured around:
1.    What beliefs do medical students in Mysore hold about the training they receive to work with LGBTQ patients?
2.    How do they perceive cultural beliefs will influence their perceptions of this training? 
3.    How do they perceive cultural beliefs will influence their ability to address the needs of LGBTQ patients?

     I will prioritize speaking with medical students at different stages of their training, especially those who study at public institutions. I believe that students would be more directly influenced by government policies as their beliefs would more closely reflect broader national values, than private institutions would. This way, I would be able to approximate a closer comparison to the American public education systems, where state and federal policies likewise influence curricula, which may also serve as a reflection of the government’s views on student beliefs. If possible, I would also like to observe lectures or workshops related to how gender and/or sexual identity intertwine with physical and mental health. Additionally, visiting teaching hospitals or NGOs will allow me to compare institutional versus community-based approaches and identify any gaps between training amount, type, or comprehensiveness in relation to real-world applications with treatment.

     This topic is especially relevant to me as I aim to become a clinical neuropsychologist. In clinical practice, there is no standardized patient; no two individuals have the same needs, experiences, and/or identities. Yet, traditional research often focuses on majority populations for generalizability, which may unintentionally exclude minority experiences (He et al., 2020). For this reason, it is important for me to familiarize myself with diverse populations to better develop proper sensitivity and competence in care. 

     Globally, LGBTQ+ populations face barriers such as health disparities linked to social stigma and discrimination (Mediboina, 2020; Wahlen et al., 2020). These disparities may manifest itself physically through higher rates of preventable cancers as a result of a lack of preventative care access (Arthur et al., 2021; Mediboina, 2021; Sorathiya et al., 2023) or psychologically with heightened rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and trauma-related disorders due to social rejection and institutional discrimination (Majumder & Kar, 2021; Bhattacharya & Ghosh, 2024). However, the provider’s approach can significantly influence the patients’ outcome (Bass & Nagy, 2023).

     From the Indian perspective, this may be attributed to a lack of interaction with and medical education on LGBTQ+ individuals (Mediboina, 2020; Sorathiya et al., 2023; Wahlen et al., 2020). Medical students have previously reported feelings of being unprepared to handle LGBTQ+ individuals, especially transgender patients, due to a lack of training and/or faculty expertise (Paras et al., 2024). In the U.S context, similar gaps persist despite increasing institutional efforts toward inclusivity (Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2024). Medical treatment and education on LGBTQ+ patients vary by state, resulting in uneven approaches, especially towards transgender individuals, even in the more progressive states (National Coalition for LGBTQ Health, 2025). American medical students also echo sentiments of inadequacy in training (Jewell & Petty, 2024) and turn to informal extracurricular sources for LGBTQ+ health information, which is insufficient in providing effective depth and reliability (Nowaskie, 2020).

     Although I have educated myself on this topic, I still have concerns about exploring this research abroad from a biased perspective, especially since much of my personal academic foundation is still shaped by Western literature. I fear that this will affect how I interpret cultural norms, where I would inadvertently view the situation from a Western lens, thus accidentally offending participants / making biased judgements, rather than immersing myself in their worldview; I would want to stay true to the Indian lived experience. Another concern is navigating challenging conversations since it can prompt a strong emotional response from me, since I have an empathetic disposition. I would not want to react in a way that is inappropriate or can contribute to worsening the outcome after hearing the emotional impact of discrimination and social stigma. Ideally, I would like to remain professional while offering empathy, without generalizing their experiences or centering myself emotionally in their narratives.

     In any case, I am eager to reach out of my comfort zone, adapt to challenges, and reflect on how culture and education influence behavior and cognition. I hope this research informs both clinical practice and how graduate education can better support diverse and inclusive healthcare.