Seven European universities from Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands will join forces to generate a flexible module “Gendermedicine (GM)” that teaches gender differences in wide-spread diseases, therapy and research methods at a European level. The project will generate internationally recognized experts for a gender-sensitive medicine and create an expandable European network from universitarian and non-universitarian partners.

It will combine the expertise of the partners in these disciplines to assemble scientific content and learning goals for a GM module. It can be flexibly integrated into bachelor or master programmes or continuous medical education and will lead to an internationally recognized certificate. Network members will sensitize universities, medical professional organizations, health care politics, funding organizations and insurance companies for gender aspects.

Dissemination of gender aspects will improve the practical treatment of women and men and will reduce deaths and side effects from pharmaceutical management. Lay organisations are requiring such knowledge, too. This will promote innovation in medical education and contribute to harmonization of biomedical study structures in Europe.

In the development of this curriculum, summer schools were held in Berlin 2010 (September 20-24) and in Sassari 2011 (September 19-22).