Medicine: continuing medical education: sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California. Under the act, a physician and surgeon is required to demonstrate satisfaction of continuing education requirements. Existing law requires all continuing medical education courses on or after July 1, 2006, to contain curriculum that includes cultural and linguistic competency, as defined, in the practice of medicine. Existing law requires accrediting associations to develop standards for compliance with the cultural competency requirement before July 1, 2006, and authorizes the development of these standards in conjunction with an advisory group that has expertise in cultural and linguistic competency issues, as specified. This bill would authorize the accrediting associations to update these compliance standards, as needed, in conjunction with the advisory group described above. Existing law, for purposes of these provisions, defines cultural competency as a set of integrated attitudes, knowledge, and skills that enables a health care professional or organization to care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities. Existing law recommends that this definition, at a minimum, include, among other things, understanding and applying cultural and ethnic data to the process of clinical care. This bill would expand this recommendation to include, as appropriate, information pertinent to the appropriate treatment of, and provision of care to, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex communities.