Pilot training program to improve transgender competency among medical staff in an urban clinic

The widespread discrimination and mistreatment transgender individuals face in the healthcare system could be alleviated with specialized provider training to increase knowledge about transgender health and needs, and to promote positive attitudes. The evaluation of a pilot training program implemented in an urban clinic shows the potential to change attitudes and improve competency, as reported in a study published in Transgender Health.

Corina Lelutiu-Weinberger, PhD, Hunter College of the City University of New York, and coauthors developed and delivered three 2-hour training sessions to the staff of New York City-based outpatient clinics serving primarily individuals of color and low socioeconomic status. A comparison of pre-training and post-training scores showed significant changes in attitudes toward transgender individuals, transgender-related clinical skills, awareness of transphobic practices, and readiness to serve transgender patients. The researchers describe the scope of the competency training provided in the article "Implementation and Evaluation of a Pilot Training to Improve Transgender Competency Among Medical Staff in an Urban Clinic."

"Studies such as this are an important academic contribution to the transgender health literature," says Editor-in-Chief Robert Garofalo MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Director, Center for Gender, Sexuality and HIV Prevention, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "There are limited interventions in the published literature aimed at training healthcare providers and improving healthcare outcomes for transgender people. Pilot studies and programs such as these developed by this NY-based team can hopefully be the first steps in a broader movement educating providers about transgender health issues and improving access to care."