Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Education
Date Submitted: Jan 27, 2025
Date Accepted: Feb 4, 2026
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
From Classroom to Operating Room: Addressing Shortcomings in Gender Affirmation Surgical Education
ABSTRACT
The prevalence of American youth identifying as transgender has doubled in the past five years, emphasizing the crucial role of gender affirmation surgery (GAS) in treating gender dysphoria. However, the current healthcare infrastructure faces challenges in meeting the escalating demand for GAS interventions. Transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) patients encounter barriers, including travel and extended waitlists for specialized surgeons. This article highlights the insufficient exposure to GAS in medical education, spanning from medical students to attending surgeons, and examines the uneven distribution of GAS providers across specialties. The absence of formal training and board certification compounds the issue, urging a comprehensive reevaluation of medical education to ensure quality care for the expanding TGGD population.
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Copyright
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