From Classroom to Operating Room: Addressing Shortcomings in Gender Affirmation Surgical Education

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 health care infrastructure faces challenges in meeting the escalating demand for GAS interventions. Transgender and gender-diverse patients encounter barriers such as travel and extended waitlists for specialized surgeons. This viewpoint highlights the insufficient exposure to GAS in medical education, spanning from medical students to attending surgeons, and examines the uneven distribution of GAS practitioners 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 transgender and gender-diverse population.