Pre-health students who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community face a number of challenges in their pursuit of careers in healthcare, as well as in their own access to care. These challenges are compounded for members of the community who are also part of other historically marginalized groups, such as trans individuals and people of color.

Our goal is to help students navigate their pre-health journey while staying to true to themselves and to provide information and connections to resources that will help them as they move on to professional school and, ultimately, in their future work as healthcare professionals.

From the National Association of Advisors for Health Professions

Below are some examples of common questions LGBTQ students may have, which they may choose to discuss with a health professions advisor.
• Should I be “out” on my application?
• If I decide to be “out,” how should I share my identity during application?
• If I decide to share my identity, how will schools use that information?
• Could I be discriminated against if I am out on my application?
• What resources are available to me as an LGBTQ applicant?
• How can I tell if a school will be supportive of my identity?

Three Key Pieces of Advice for LGBTQ Applicants
1. Being “out” on an application is a personal decision, and there is no right or wrong decision. You should feel good about the decision you reach.
2. If you decide to share your LGBTQ identity on an application, carefully consider the extent to which you will discuss it and in what context.
3. Find a school where you will be comfortable, embraced, and supported living and learning in whatever degree of “out” you want to be during your training. (Consider reviewing the student organizations at the professional schools you may want to apply to. Are there LGBTQ+ organizations? Does the program's curriculum include topics related to LGBTQ+ patient health?)

Tufts Resources for LGBTQ+ Students

LGBT Center: The LGBT Center, founded in 1992, offers a space for all students to explore their unique relationship to gender and sexuality through personal, activist, and/or academic lenses.

Tufts Biomedical Queer Alliance (TUSM): The Tufts Biomedical Queer Alliance is an organization dedicated to connecting and strengthening the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community of students and professionals at the Tufts University Health Sciences Campus in downtown Boston. We advocate for, support, and celebrate the gender and sexual minority (GSM) community on campus.

LGBTQ+ Community Resources

Fenway Health: Fenway Health advocates for and delivers innovative, equitable, accessible health care, supportive services, and transformative research and education. We center LGBTQIA+ people, BIPOC individuals, and other underserved communities to enable our local, national, and global neighbors to flourish.

DMH Young Adult Resource Guide LGBTQ Resources: Provided by Mass.gov, links to various resources for the LGBTQ+ community.