The Department of Psychiatry's Gender Program and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) will hold the first-ever Global Education Initiative (GEI) conference in Canada to help train clinicians in the competent care of transgendered individuals.
The ground-breaking conference, scheduled for Feb. 1-3, 2019, will take place at Bernard Snell Hall in the Clinical Sciences Building adjacent to University of Alberta Hospital.
Dr. Michael Marshall, inaugural Program Lead for the Department of Psychiatry's recently established Gender Program, which serves the needs of the gender diverse and trans-identified population, unveiled plans for the conference in early November.
"With so few trained clinicians on the ground in Alberta, the Gender Program has been working hard to break down barriers and expedite access to quality care. The conference we're planning in February is a major part of that ongoing effort, and I'm really excited about it," he says.
The Gender Program, which includes core components in the clinical, educational and research areas, was launched in February in partnership with The University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services (AHS).
Dr. Marshall is currently one of just two psychiatrists in Greater Edmonton, and one of a few in all of Alberta, who specialize in serving the needs of transgender individuals.
Guest speakers at the conference will include some of the leading transgender health specialists in the world. One or more of the Montreal-based surgeons who perform gender confirmation surgeries are also expected to attend, along with providers from across Alberta and Canada wide.
WPATH, a nonprofit, interdisciplinary professional and educational organization devoted to transgender health, has developed a specialized core curriculum for training clinicians in competent, compassionate, culturally sensitive transgender care.
Known as the Global Education Initiative (GEI), it is built around a series of courses, which will be integrated within the conference agenda. These courses include:
· Foundations in Transgender Health: A two-day training course that addresses what all clinicians should know about gender development, related mental health issues, legal, policy and ethical issues, and hormonal and surgical interventions.
· Advanced Medical Treatment: A full-day training session focused on advanced hormonal treatment and complications, co-occurring conditions, ongoing primary care and aging.
· Advanced Mental Health: A full-day session that dives into advanced psychotherapy topics and navigating issues like countertransference, children of transgendered people, re-identification and trauma.
· Workshops: These are specialized four-to-eight-hour interactive and/or case-based sessions that focus on specific areas of interest. Workshops are aimed at those who have completed the Foundations in Transgender Health course.
In addition to the above, the WPATH Certification Program is an optional benefit that is offered to association members. It signifies that a provider is a WPATH member in good standing who has completed an additional rigorous educational curriculum focused on the most current Standards of Care.
The Certification Program's extensive 50-hour core competencies-based training program includes course work, mentorship and a minimum membership requirement. Those who complete the program must also pass a certification exam.
"Our objective in bringing the WPATH GEI program to Alberta is simple and straightforward. We aim to provide more high-quality, transgender-focused training to clinicians, so there will be more of us on the ground in Alberta, reducing wait times and increasing access to compassionate, competent health care professionals," says Dr. Marshall.
"We won't overcome these challenges overnight, of course. It will take time. But we have begun the journey toward making Alberta a more welcoming, caring and supportive home for transgender people. I'm hoping many of my fellow physicians and other healthcare professionals will consider joining us at the conference in February as we take this important next step."
Dr. Marshall notes that the Gender Program's clinical arm receives many new persons who are referred every day. The program has about 600 active persons at present, and it has engaged with well over 1,000 individuals since the Gender Program was launched in February. The wait time for persons will increase without increasing capacity province wide.
"Since Edmonton has a metro population of 1.3 million and Alberta is home to 4.3 million residents, we must build more system capacity to address the health and wellbeing needs of the underserved transgender population," says Dr. Marshall.
"As it stands, feelings of isolation and lowered mood are common among some transgender individuals in Alberta. People are at the most risk in the period before getting the help they need. This distress is preventable. But we're finally moving forward as a province and as healthcare professionals in addressing these unmet needs, and I feel very gratified to be a key part of this effort."
The ground-breaking conference, scheduled for Feb. 1-3, 2019, will take place at Bernard Snell Hall in the Clinical Sciences Building adjacent to University of Alberta Hospital.
Dr. Michael Marshall, inaugural Program Lead for the Department of Psychiatry's recently established Gender Program, which serves the needs of the gender diverse and trans-identified population, unveiled plans for the conference in early November.
"With so few trained clinicians on the ground in Alberta, the Gender Program has been working hard to break down barriers and expedite access to quality care. The conference we're planning in February is a major part of that ongoing effort, and I'm really excited about it," he says.
The Gender Program, which includes core components in the clinical, educational and research areas, was launched in February in partnership with The University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services (AHS).
Dr. Marshall is currently one of just two psychiatrists in Greater Edmonton, and one of a few in all of Alberta, who specialize in serving the needs of transgender individuals.
Guest speakers at the conference will include some of the leading transgender health specialists in the world. One or more of the Montreal-based surgeons who perform gender confirmation surgeries are also expected to attend, along with providers from across Alberta and Canada wide.
WPATH, a nonprofit, interdisciplinary professional and educational organization devoted to transgender health, has developed a specialized core curriculum for training clinicians in competent, compassionate, culturally sensitive transgender care.
Known as the Global Education Initiative (GEI), it is built around a series of courses, which will be integrated within the conference agenda. These courses include:
· Foundations in Transgender Health: A two-day training course that addresses what all clinicians should know about gender development, related mental health issues, legal, policy and ethical issues, and hormonal and surgical interventions.
· Advanced Medical Treatment: A full-day training session focused on advanced hormonal treatment and complications, co-occurring conditions, ongoing primary care and aging.
· Advanced Mental Health: A full-day session that dives into advanced psychotherapy topics and navigating issues like countertransference, children of transgendered people, re-identification and trauma.
· Workshops: These are specialized four-to-eight-hour interactive and/or case-based sessions that focus on specific areas of interest. Workshops are aimed at those who have completed the Foundations in Transgender Health course.
In addition to the above, the WPATH Certification Program is an optional benefit that is offered to association members. It signifies that a provider is a WPATH member in good standing who has completed an additional rigorous educational curriculum focused on the most current Standards of Care.
The Certification Program's extensive 50-hour core competencies-based training program includes course work, mentorship and a minimum membership requirement. Those who complete the program must also pass a certification exam.
"Our objective in bringing the WPATH GEI program to Alberta is simple and straightforward. We aim to provide more high-quality, transgender-focused training to clinicians, so there will be more of us on the ground in Alberta, reducing wait times and increasing access to compassionate, competent health care professionals," says Dr. Marshall.
"We won't overcome these challenges overnight, of course. It will take time. But we have begun the journey toward making Alberta a more welcoming, caring and supportive home for transgender people. I'm hoping many of my fellow physicians and other healthcare professionals will consider joining us at the conference in February as we take this important next step."
Dr. Marshall notes that the Gender Program's clinical arm receives many new persons who are referred every day. The program has about 600 active persons at present, and it has engaged with well over 1,000 individuals since the Gender Program was launched in February. The wait time for persons will increase without increasing capacity province wide.
"Since Edmonton has a metro population of 1.3 million and Alberta is home to 4.3 million residents, we must build more system capacity to address the health and wellbeing needs of the underserved transgender population," says Dr. Marshall.
"As it stands, feelings of isolation and lowered mood are common among some transgender individuals in Alberta. People are at the most risk in the period before getting the help they need. This distress is preventable. But we're finally moving forward as a province and as healthcare professionals in addressing these unmet needs, and I feel very gratified to be a key part of this effort."