Educational Exposure to Transgender Patient Care in Plastic Surgery Training.

Background: Gender dysphoria is estimated to occur in up to 0.9% of the United States population. With increasing awareness and decreasing stigma surrounding transgender issues, it is predicted more patients will begin to seek medical and surgical transition. This study aims to determine the current state of transgender-related education in United States plastic surgery residency programs and to evaluate trainee perceptions regarding the importance of such training. Methods: Plastic surgery trainees from a representative sample of 21 U.S. training programs were asked to complete a cross-sectional eight-question survey between November 2015 and January 2016. Respondents were queried regarding demographics, transgender curricular exposure (didactic vs. clinical), and perceived importance of training opportunities in transgender patient care. Results: A total of 322 residents or fellows responded to the survey (80% response rate) from four U.S. Census regions. 64% of respondents had education on or direct exposure to transgender care during residency. Among those with experiences in gender-confirming surgery (GCS), more than half were exposed to chest and genital surgery. Overall, the majority of respondents believed that training in GCS is important and 72% endorsed the necessity of GCS fellowship training opportunities. Conclusion: A significant number of plastic surgery trainees are exposed to transgender patient care, although exposure type is variable. The majority of trainees endorsed the importance of residency and fellowship training in GCS. In order to better serve the transgender population, formal fellowship training in GCS should be offered. (C)2016American Society of Plastic Surgeons

from #ENT via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1ZYaxcw
via IFTTT