title: eGender-from e-Learning to e-Research: a web-based interactive knowledge-sharing platform for sex- and gender-specific medical education.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sex and Gender Medicine is a novel discipline that provides equitable medical care for society and improves outcomes for both male and female patients. The integration of sex- and gender-specific knowledge into medical curricula is limited due to adequate learning material, systematic teacher training and an innovative communication strategy. We aimed at initiating an e-learning and knowledge-sharing platform for Sex and Gender Medicine, the eGender platform (http://egender.charite.de), to ensure that future doctors and health professionals will have adequate knowledge and communication skills on sex and gender differences in order to make informed decisions for their patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The web-based eGender knowledge-sharing platform was designed to support the blended learning pedagogical teaching concept and follows the didactic concept of constructivism. Learning materials developed by Sex and Gender Medicine experts of seven universities have been used as the basis for the newlearning tools. The content of these tools is patient-centered and provides add-on information on gender-sensitive aspects of diseases. The structural part of eGender was designed and developed using the open source e-learning platform Moodle. The eGender platform comprises an English and a German version of e-learning modules: one focusing on basic knowledge and seven on specific medical disciplines. Each module consists of several courses corresponding to a disease or symptom complex. Self-organized learning has to be managed by using different learning tools, e.g., texts and audiovisual material, tools for online communication and collaborative work.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90 users from Europe registered for the eGender Medicine learning modules. The most frequently accessed module was "Gender Medicine-Basics" and the users favored discussion forums. These e-learning modules fulfill the quality criteria for higher education and are used within the elective Master Module "Gender Medicine-Basics" implemented into the accredited Master of Public Health at Charité-Berlin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The eGender platform is a flexible and user-friendly electronical knowledge-sharing platform providing evidence-based high-quality learning material used by a growing number of registered users. The eGender Medicine learning modules could be key in the reform of medical curricula to integrate Sex and Gender Medicine into the education of health professionals.
authors: Institute of Gender in Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany ; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ute
authors: U
authors: Seeland
authors: Institute of Gender in Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ahmad T
authors: AT
authors: Nauman
authors: Institute of Gender in Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Alissa
authors: A
authors: Cornelis
authors: Department of Medical Education and Student Affairs, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Ludwig
authors: Structural Bioinformatics Group, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Mathias
authors: M
authors: Dunkel
authors: Institute of Gender in Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany ; Center for Cardiovascular Research (CCR), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany ; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Georgios
authors: G
authors: Kararigas
authors: Institute of Gender in Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hessische Str. 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany ; Center for Cardiovascular Research (CCR), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany ; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Vera
authors: V
authors: Regitz-Zagrosek
keywords: Gender medicine; Higher medical education; Knowledge-sharing platform; Sex differences; e-Learning; eGender