Survey: Urologists lack knowledge, training in transgender care

While urologists are generally comfortable discussing patients’ sexual orientation, they report that both their knowledge of care of transgender patients and training in such care are lacking.

Those findings come from a small survey developed by urologists at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York and conducted with assistance from Urology Times. The institutional review board-approved survey examined urologists’ attitudes toward clinical management of transgender patients, potential knowledge gaps, and level of experience with this patient group.

“This survey is illuminating on several levels,” said Arthur L. Burnett, II, MD, MBA, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and a member of the Urology Times Editorial Council. “It reveals attitudes and possible roles of urologists in the face of the emerging practice of transgender health.

“It is not surprising that urologists, as much as many physicians, have not had a great deal of exposure to this health issue. However, urologists are familiar with urologic structures and genital reconstruction in general and certainly could be prepared to play active roles in genital tract reconstructive surgeries.”

The survey, by Mount Sinai urologists Jared Winoker, MD, and Aaron Grotas, MD, was mailed to the Urology Times enewsletter list in August 2017. A total of 30 responses were received, with approximately 37% of respondents identifying themselves as being in academic practice, 43% in single-specialty practice, and 20% in multispecialty practice.

To view key results from the survey, click here.