Purpose
Common confusion between gender and sex often leads to widespread gender biases, explicit and implicit, that directly affect healthcare quality and equity. Efforts aim to address these issues using strategies that enhance gender awareness during medical education. Our study seeks to assess gender sensitivity and gender-role ideologies through the Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale following an educational intervention.

Methods
An educational intervention consisting of a 2-hour lecture on how gender impacts healthcare experience and medical research was implemented in pre-clinical students from 5 health programs. A pre-post-intervention methodology seeking changes in gender awareness was made using the Nijmegen Gender Awareness Scale. Additionally, an open-ended question regarding their key takeaways was included and responses were analyzed qualitatively through thematic analysis.

Results
A total of 647 health sciences students from 4 different campuses participated. The study showed significant increases in gender sensitivity (GS) scores and decreases in gender-role ideologies (GRIP) towards both patients and doctors (GRID) (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis found significant associations between female gender and higher pre-lecture scores in GS, GRIP, and GRID. Qualitative analysis revealed that students recognized the extent of the problem by identifying gaps in the healthcare system, using key theoretical concepts from the lecture, and underlining the importance of diversity and inclusivity in healthcare practices.

Conclusion
The educational intervention effectively enhanced gender sensitivity and reduced gender-role stereotypes among preclinical health sciences students, aligning with previous research on the positive impact of gender-focused educational interventions on students' attitudes toward gender equality in healthcare.