The Current State of Transgender Health Curricula in Graduate Surgical Education: A Systematic Review of Survey Data

Journal of Surgical Education (08/30/23) Rezaei, Shawheen J.; Miranda, Noah; Bene, Nicholas C.; et al.

A systematic review of survey data assessed gender-affirming care (GAC) and gender-affirming surgery (GAS) training in U.S. surgical residency programs. A total of 22 survey-based studies were selected, with responses from 2,582 trainees and/or attending physicians and 438 program directors. The studies covered six surgical specialties and included questions surrounding GAS training availability, comfort in treating transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients and GAS' key role in graduate surgical education. Less than half of the trainees reported receiving GAC or GAS training, while less than half of the program directors said such training was available in their residency or fellowship programs. The study authors also found that four surgical specialties — OB/GYN, otolaryngology, urology and plastic surgery — play a key role in GAS procedures. They recommend including GAS training within graduate surgical education to give TGD patients better access to and quality of care.

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