On February 12, 2024, Dr. Holt had the honor of presenting in-person to second year students at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This Mission Medicine session dove into how to make the healthcare setting a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ patients, including the impact of the waiting room, intake forms, and patient interactions. In addition to discussing what LGBTQ+ patients are at higher risk for, we discussed how to start conversations on sensitive topics, such as sexual health, trans health, coming out, and LGBTQ+ suicide risks.
A robust Q & A session concluded the 90 minute session.
Written Audience Feedback – Overall Comments:
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. I sincerely appreciate the perspectives and insight you provided us. I love learning about how to practice medicine in a more inclusive way, and all the wisdom you shared with us today is safely tucked in my brain to put in practice starting day one next year when I begin interacting with patients. Thank you also for sharing so much of yourself and your experiences with us. Anecdotes hold so much power, and I am extremely grateful that you chose to share that part of yourself with us.
Great lecture, very informative and necessary. I really enjoyed today’s session. I think it was one of the most informative, engaging and applicable sessions we have had.
The session was fantastic. As a former clinic admin centered in SF serving a large homeless trans population I appreciated everything that was talked about today. I think Dr. Holt was very respectful, honest, PATIENT, and informative on the needs and pressures of the LBTQI community. I think every part of his lecture was important and valid. There wasn’t a single section where I didn’t feel that multiple conversations could’ve stemmed from that point. Dr. Holt’s work is amazing, he’s an amazing lecturer, and I am so proud and glad we were able to have this conversation.
This was an amazing session. Dr. Holt, you are so passionate and I am so amazed with the work you have done. As someone from a rural town with LGBTQ family members that haven’t been able to come out to their parents for fear of being ostracized, I will share your story so they know they are not alone. <3 and remember to tell them I love them unconditionally!
I really enjoyed today’s session, it was both very moving and very informative.
I really enjoyed today’s session. Dr. Holt was raw, authentic and informative. I left today wanting to be a better advocate and ally for my future LGBTQ+ patients.
I thought the session was a great introduction on how to treat patients of the LGBTQ+ community. I valued Dr. Holt’s time and commitment to the matter and hope he continues to work for this cause.
Today I learned how to create a safe space for people to talk about their reality. Every topic in today’s conversation had a positive impact on me, from the data on suicide rates of LGBTQ+ to how I can introduce myself and my pronouns to patients so they can feel comfortable sharing theirs.
Please keep bringing Dr Holt back. The discussion was very engaging and I’m glad the entire time was used effectively.
It was a great session. The most real lecture in medical school, honestly. We need more of these. Thank you.
Very beneficial to expand empathy for those whose backgrounds are unfamiliar to our own. It was a great reminder that despite progress there are still issues facing the LGBTQ+ community.
I enjoyed today’s session and really appreciated Dr. Holt bringing his own experience and being open and honest with us about what he has dealt with. I think a lot of people often struggle in silence when they think they’re alone. When others open up about their struggles, it shows people they aren’t alone in dealing with a certain problem. I think Dr. Holt did a wonderful job.
We need more speakers like this!!
I thought today’s session was incredibly helpful and eye opening not only to me as a future physician but also as a general knowledge to learn about other population of individuals and what they may be experiencing in their daily life.
I thought today’s session was very informative and gave insight into a personal experience and how we are all called to serve all patients.
Informative and helpful in terms of treating this population of patients
It was a great session where I learned a lot! Today’s session was super informative and provided a lot of information and stats I was not aware of before.
I thought that Dr. Holt was very engaging and insightful. I would like to have more sessions with him in the future.
I really enjoyed the session and appreciate Dr. Holt’s vulnerability and sharing his experiences as an LGBTQ health provider.
Excellent presenter, very knowledgeable and experienced.
I really enjoyed learning more about becoming an empathetic and accessible physician. I decided to become a DO because the mission of the practice really resonates with me.
Excellent and thought provoking.
It was amazing.
Good Session.
It was amazing.
Interesting, but I’m not sure class is a safe place to discuss opinions without judgement.
Written Audience Feedback – What is the most important thing learned and how this talk will impact my future practice:
This talk allowed me to feel extremely empowered in what I can offer once I’m practicing. One of my biggest fears is lack of agency in the way I choose to integrate advocacy into my practice in the future. After hearing your remarks about the steps you took while working for a large HMO to ensure you were reaching/helping the individuals you wanted to, as well as the career moves you made after your time with Kaiser Permanente, showed me that physician’s have the power to fulfill their missions. It just means starting a conversation or making space or having a connection that helps bring those aspirations to fruition. Dr. Holt, your unwavering commitment to this community is extremely inspiring to me, and I am just so grateful for your time and all you shared with us today. I am inspired, motivated, and hungry to practice medicine for the populations that made me decide to apply to medical school in the first place. Thank you for everything.
Create a safe space for my patients. Let them know that I am someone they can trust and open up to. I also learned that the more I can align my personality with my practice, the more fulfilled I will feel as a physician. This was a great reminder as we head into rotations to not forget who we are, and to help our patients to the best of our abilities by taking care of being our true selves.
The most important thing learned today is that when LGBTQ+ people feel seen, heard, and true to themselves, the chances of them committing suicide lowers compared to those who are closeted or misunderstood. I will keep in mind that by simply listening to someone’s wishes on how they prefer to be addressed or accepting who someone chooses to love lowers the chances of them ending their life. Saving lives as a doctor doesn’t only have to do with medicine.
I believe the most important thing that I learned today was how to become an ally of not only the LBTQ+ community but also of my patients. It was incredibly insightful to know that the first impression of an office is what will be the first step into getting your patient to feel comfortable enough to trust and open up to you. Through this talk, I will definitely incorporate various aspects in my office to show my support to the LGBTQ+ community and how to talk in a way that allows my patients to trust me and hopefully open up to me eventually.
I think being careful to not make assumptions about people—everyone’s backgrounds/traumas are different. We have to approach all of our patients with care and compassion to gain trust and properly care for them.
I think the most important thing to me, was making my patients feel comfortable coming to me to discuss things they may not be comfortable sharing with others, especially things they are struggling with. As someone who has two best friends and a sister who are gay, I know how important it is for them to know they have someone in their corner. In the future when I’m a physician, I hope to be able to provide that support and safe place for all of my patients.
I think the most important thing I learned is that people who are going through the coming out process need to be give time and space. Always open the door for that conversation but do not push it let them come to you.
The most important thing I learned from this talk was how to create a safe environment for members of the LGBTQ+ community to discuss sensitive topics in a healthcare setting.
How to manage LGBT patients when we start working. That was very informative and I’m very glad he spoke on that because I want to advocate for my patients and support them in the best manner.
To treat everyone with dignity and respect and to give all people a safe place to communicate with a health professional without bias.
How to make my clinic a safe space and how to open the door for conversation.
I will work to make an intentionally accepting environment for all my patients. I appreciated the point that we as providers have to be bold to represent even the 5 percent of our patients so all feel equally comfortable.
I think the most important thing I learned was how to approach those more difficult conversations with patients as well as how to make everyone feel welcome even before they meet with you face to face. This information will be beneficial to me going into clinical as well as in my practice as I am more aware of the things I can do to make all of my patients comfortable.
Learned how to interact with LGBTQ patients. Taught me how to understands patients perspective and how to support them.
I learned how to talk to patients who may be spreading hatred in my clinic to make a safe space for everyone.
That simply displaying a flag in an office can go miles to make patients feel respected and welcomed which can build trust with them.
Now I know how to be a better ally for individuals of the LGBTQ+ community. I have ways to increase safety in my future clinic. I also know how to be open and welcome to my peers and my future patients.
To me the most important thing I learned was how to respond to ignorant questions during the Q/A. I also appreciated how he answered the students questions very thoughtfully.
I think the most important thing I learned today was how to essentially let my patients know that I am there for them and that they are more than welcome to speak to me about anything whether it be medically related, mentally related, or interpersonal.
To make sure my office/my presence can be a safe space. I will make sure to get a pride pin and continue to use inclusive language.
Correct pronouns. Reinforced how sensitive this LGBTQ community can be. We still need to tread carefully.
How to approach patients who are queer with homophobic family members.
How to talk to patients.
Something as small as keeping a token of being an ally can start conversations.
To be kind to everyone and always come from a place of wanting to understand and help.
Although I am already a very open person, this session showed me the importance of truly listening to patients and hearing where they are coming from in their journeys.
Learning how to open the door for patients/peers to come out.
LGBTQ health disparities and how to create a more welcoming environment for the community in my practice.
How to create a safe space for those in the LGBTQ+ community in the field of medicine.
The approach to patients with various sex and gender identities and orientations.
I liked the open the door up to allow others to feel open to come to you.