Addressing the FGM knowledge gap for health professionals (27 June 2024)

Summary

This article looks at recent efforts to increase awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) amongst healthcare professionals in the UK. Dr Victoria Kinkaid conducted a UK-wide survey to find out how much medical students knew about FGM. Results from the survey highlighted a gap in medical student education around FGM. Further exploration with the help of focus groups revealed that this knowledge gap also affected other frontline professionals with mandatory reporting duties for FGM, including teachers, midwives and social workers. 

Working with her MSc supervisor, Dr Heather May Morgan, Victoria launched a four week course entitled 'Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Health, Law, and Socio-Cultural Sensitivity' in 2022 to try and bridge this gap. This article looks at the impact of the course and how Victoria and Heather's work to increase awareness is expanding.