Creation and Pilot of a Student-Led, Gender-Affirming and LGBTQIA+-Focused Sexual Health Care Clinic in Miami, FL
Abstract
Introduction The LGBTQIA+ community faces substantial barriers to healthcare access, contributing to disproportionate rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, limited uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and inadequate access to gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). A root cause is the lack of LGBTQIA+-focused training in US medical curricula, with a median of only five hours dedicated across four years of medical school. From January through December 2024, a student-run gender-affirming care and infectious disease clinic was piloted at an academic medical institution in South Florida. The objective of this implementation study is to report on clinic implementation, patient outcomes, and stakeholder feedback. Methods The clinic provided GAHT, HIV and sexually transmitted infections prevention and testing, including PrEP, nPEP, and DoxyPEP to an LGBTQIA+ patient population at no cost. Five medical student officers led operations alongside 38 student volunteers, 6 attending physicians, and 4 residents. Qualitative interviews informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) were conducted with four key stakeholders following the pilot. Results The clinic served 42 patients. Among 36 patients receiving GAHT, 63.9% also received PrEP. Patient retention was high: 85.4% returned for follow-up within 90 days, 97.6% picked up medications after the first visit, and 82.9% continued regular medication pickup. Qualitative stakeholder perspectives centered on responsiveness to the political climate and local need, effective clinical care with high patient satisfaction, a supportive learner culture, and potential for program expansion. Conclusions This pilot demonstrates the feasibility and impact of student-led, gender-affirming sexual health clinics and provides a replicable framework for other institutions. Grant funding is being pursued to re-establish and expand services with an integrated psychiatric component tailored to LGBTQIA+ populations.
Related
- 20-year outcomes in Gender-Affirming Care from Johns Hopkins Hospital
- Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment Prevalence, Decision Satisfaction, and Future Need Among Transgender Adults
- Prevalence and clinical course of pelvic pain among transmasculine individuals on gender-affirming testosterone: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Copenhagen Gender Identity Cohort (KIK): a protocol of a prospective cohort of adults with gender incongruence seeking gender-affirming healthcare
- Adverse effects of gender‐affirming hormonal therapy in transgender persons: Assessing reports in the French pharmacovigilance database
BibTeX
@article{distefano2026creation,
title = {{Creation and Pilot of a Student-Led, Gender-Affirming and LGBTQIA+-Focused Sexual Health Care Clinic in Miami, FL}},
author = {Nicholas DiStefano BA and Hunter Kessous BS and Brendan Driscoll MD, MPH and Anthony Fuentes BS and Karan Prasad BS and Kiana Magee BS and Alexa Rocabado MPH and Susanne Doblecki-Lewis MD and Laura Beauchamps MD},
journal = {Journal of Primary Care \& Community Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1177/21501319261496826},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319261496826},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Creation and Pilot of a Student-Led, Gender-Affirming and LGBTQIA+-Focused Sexual Health Care Clinic in Miami, FL
AU - Nicholas DiStefano BA
AU - Hunter Kessous BS
AU - Brendan Driscoll MD, MPH
AU - Anthony Fuentes BS
AU - Karan Prasad BS
AU - Kiana Magee BS
AU - Alexa Rocabado MPH
AU - Susanne Doblecki-Lewis MD
AU - Laura Beauchamps MD
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
DO - 10.1177/21501319261496826
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319261496826
AB - Introduction The LGBTQIA+ community faces substantial barriers to healthcare access, contributing to disproportionate rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, limited uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and inadequate access to gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). A root cause is the lack of LGBTQIA+-focused training in US medical curricula, with a median of only five hours dedicated across four years of medical school. From January through December 2024, a student-run gender-affirming care and infectious disease clinic was piloted at an academic medical institution in South Florida. The objective of this implementation study is to report on clinic implementation, patient outcomes, and stakeholder feedback. Methods The clinic provided GAHT, HIV and sexually transmitted infections prevention and testing, including PrEP, nPEP, and DoxyPEP to an LGBTQIA+ patient population at no cost. Five medical student officers led operations alongside 38 student volunteers, 6 attending physicians, and 4 residents. Qualitative interviews informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) were conducted with four key stakeholders following the pilot. Results The clinic served 42 patients. Among 36 patients receiving GAHT, 63.9% also received PrEP. Patient retention was high: 85.4% returned for follow-up within 90 days, 97.6% picked up medications after the first visit, and 82.9% continued regular medication pickup. Qualitative stakeholder perspectives centered on responsiveness to the political climate and local need, effective clinical care with high patient satisfaction, a supportive learner culture, and potential for program expansion. Conclusions This pilot demonstrates the feasibility and impact of student-led, gender-affirming sexual health clinics and provides a replicable framework for other institutions. Grant funding is being pursued to re-establish and expand services with an integrated psychiatric component tailored to LGBTQIA+ populations.
SN - 2150-1327
SN - 2150-1319
ER -