Gender-Affirming Care in Family Medicine: From Uncertainty to Confidence
Yoni LEICHT, Boaz HASID and Guy CARMELI
Transgender and gender-diverse people continue to face major barriers in accessing primary healthcare, often due to lack of knowledge, assumptions, and systemic gaps within family practice settings. Family physicians serve as the first and sometimes only point of contact for this population, yet many report uncertainty in communication, hormone management, and preventive care. This workshop, led by three family physicians from Tel Aviv experienced in gender-affirming medicine, aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and practical tools to provide inclusive and affirming care.• Recognize the unique health needs and barriers faced by transgender and gender-diverse patients. • Develop communication skills that foster trust and respect during clinical encounters. • Gain confidence in managing hormone therapy, preventive care, and multidisciplinary coordination. • Design practical steps toward building trans-friendly approaches within everyday family practice. The workshop will be highly interactive, combining short, evidence-based presentations, small-group work, and experiential learning. • Mini-lecture: Overview of trans health inequities and key international guidelines. • Small-group case discussions:: Real-life clinical scenarios from primary care practice. • Trans-oriented care mapping: In small groups, participants chart the patient journey of a transgender individual through a typical family-practice visit from reception to follow-up. They identify points of vulnerability (e.g., primary intake, communication, examination) and propose simple, realistic actions to make each stage more inclusive and affirming. • Group debrief: Sharing insights and commitments to apply these actions in participants’ own settings. • 0–15 min: Introduction & framing • 15–40 min: Clinical core – hormone and preventive care cases • 40–50 min: Mapping & Communication – addressing patients need • 50–60 min: Wrap-up & commitments Participants will gain practical, evidence-based skills to provide gender-affirming care, enhanced confidence in communication, and a clear understanding of where to intervene along the patient journey. The session promotes empathy, reflection, and actionable change aligned with the basic fundmentals of Primary Care. This workshop offers a space for reflection, empathy, and skill-building, empowering family physicians to become advocates for equitable, humanistic, and gender-affirming primary care. Participants will leave with both practical tools and renewed confidence to make every clinical encounter more inclusive.
