Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jan 8;4(2):101545.
doi: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.101545. eCollection 2025 Feb.

Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Cardiology Physicians and Fellows in Training

Stephen C Cook  1 , Geoffrey D Barnes  2 , Kathryn Berlacher  3 , Quinn Capers 4th  4 , Michael G Fradley  5 , Leigh C Reardon  6 , Anne Rzeszut  7 , Melanie Sulistio  8 , Melvin Echols  9
Affiliations

Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Cardiology Physicians and Fellows in Training

Stephen C Cook et al. JACC Adv. .

Abstract

Background: The number of practicing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) cardiologists is unknown despite diversity initiatives focused on understanding workforce demographics.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, sources of mistreatment, and measures of wellness among the LGBTQ+ cardiology community.

Methods: An online survey was sent to the American College of Cardiology Fellow in Training and Early Career Professional Listservs and shared on social media sites. The survey included the Short-Negative Acts Questionnaire and LGBTQ+ -specific harassment questions. Chi-square analysis and Fisher exact tests were performed to compare responses between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ respondents.

Results: A total of 188 respondents completed the survey (56% Fellow in Training). One-third (33%) identified as LGBTQ+. Gender identity data included: transgender (3%), nonbinary (2%), gender queer (1%), and agender (1%). LGBTQ+ physicians were less likely to agree with the statements 'LGBTQ+ patients were treated fairly' (40% vs 66%, P < 0.001), and 'leadership dealt with people demonstrating poor behavior fairly' (34% vs 51%, P = 0.029) compared to heterosexual peers. LGBTQ+ physicians were more likely to report gender policing and heterosexist harassment compared to heterosexual peers (P = 0.002). The majority of physicians (91%) were satisfied with their decision to become a cardiologist.

Conclusions: This current analysis of LGBTQ+ cardiologists in the workplace identifies opportunities to address mistreatment impacting the LGBTQ+ community. Despite experiencing mistreatment, LGBTQ+ cardiologists report high job satisfaction. Further work is necessary to create a safe space and diverse cohort of physicians required to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: LGBTQ+; cardiovascular medicine; diversity; minority physicians; mistreatment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Respondents (n = 57) ‘Out’ or Open in the Workplace
Central Illustration
Central Illustration
American College of Cardiology Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Working Group Consensus LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Gallup LGBTQ+ identification in US now at 7.6% https://news.gallup.com/poll/611864/lgbtq-identification.aspx
    1. Ayhan C.H.B., Bilgin H., Uluman O.T., Sukut O., Yilman S., Buzlu S. A systematic review of the discrimination against sexual and gender minority in health care settings. Int J Health Serv. 2019;50:44–61. doi: 10.1177/0020731419885093. - DOI - PubMed
    1. James S., Herman J., Rankin S., Keisling M., Mottet L., Anafi M. 2016. The report of the 2015 US transgender study. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality.
    1. Inman E.M., Obedin-Maliver J., Ragosta S., et al. Reports of negative interactions with healthcare providers among transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people assigned female at birth in the United States: results from an online, cross-sectional survey. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;31:6007. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20116007. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Caceres B.A., Streed C.G., Jr., Corliss H.L., et al. Assessing and addressing cardiovascular health in LGBTQ adults: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020;142:e321–e332. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000914. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources