Genital Gender-Affirming Surgery

Genital Gender-Affirming Surgery 

UCLA Fellowship in Genital Gender-Affirming Surgery  

Overview

This one-year fellowship focuses on all aspects of the diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients with gender dysphoria seeking gender-affirming genital surgery.  This is a clinical fellowship with opportunity for research in clinical or population studies. The fellow will practice with faculty primarily at UCLA Urology’s Burbank and Westwood clinics and operate in UCLA’s main Westwood medical center. In addition to clinical responsibilities, the fellow will participate in the multi-disciplinary team of specialists that comprises the UCLA Gender Health Program.  Upon completion of the fellowship, the fellow will be suited to pursue a career in either academic urology or the private sector with a focus on gender-affirming genital surgery.  The fellow will graduate with advanced skills in genitourinary reconstruction for transfeminine and transmasculine surgery and will be fully able to manage medical and surgical issues in patients undergoing primary and revision gender-affirming genital surgery.   

Primary Fellowship Faculty 

Gladys Ng, MD, MPH
Associate Clinical Professor of Urology, Fellowship Program Director, Surgical Director, UCLA Gender Health Program 
Mark S. Litwin, MD, MPH
Professor and Chair of Urology; Founding Co-Director, UCLA Gender Health Program 
Amy K. Weimer, MD
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics; Founding Co-Director, UCLA Gender Health Program 

Education Program 

The fellowship will enable the fellow to learn surgical techniques in all aspects of genital gender-affirming surgery with exposure medical management and other gender-affirming surgeries. The fellowship is designed to prepare the fellow for a successful practice and/or an academic career. The fellow will gain exposure to all aspects of the care of transgender and gender diverse individuals with a focus on genital reconstructive surgery. 

There will be regularly scheduled didactic sessions and journal clubs.  Fellows will be expected to participate in weekly one-hour didactic sessions (total of 4 hours per month) and their schedule will be arranged to accommodate this time.   The educational goals are: 

• Understanding multidisciplinary model for the care of transgender and gender-diverse individuals 
• Pre-surgical evaluation and process 
• Surgical techniques for trans-feminizing genital surgery: orchiectomy, vulvoplasty, and vaginoplasty (modified penile inversion with peritoneal flap and intestinal) 
• Surgical techniques for trans-masculinizing genital surgery: metoidioplasty, construction of scrotum and perineum, vaginectomy, phalloplasty 
• Surgical technique for the Davydov peritoneal flap dissection and creation in robot-assisted vaginoplasty 
• Surgical technique for trans-masculinizing prosthetics placement and revisions 
• Revisions of trans-masculinizing and trans-feminizing surgeries both for function and aesthetics 
• Exposure to the immediate post-operative period with dressing removal and instruction to the patient on how to dilate 
• Post-operative care in office including treatments, procedures, and wound care 
• Performance and evaluation of cystoscopy and voiding cystourethrography of the reconstructed urinary channel/urethra in trans men 
• Revision surgery for failed urinary reconstruction and repair of fistulas and strictures 
• Understanding of the long-term management and considerations of the transgender individual after surgery 

In summary this is a one-year, busy clinical fellowship with opportunities to participate in research encompassing clinical and/or population science. UCLA is a regional quaternary referral center in Los Angeles, with a large referral base from local and national centers. 

Applicant Qualifications 

Candidates must be physician graduates of a US medical school (allopathic or osteopathic,) must have successfully completed a US residency in urology, and must apply for a California medical license no less than 4 months prior to starting the program in July. Candidates must be US Citizens or permanent residents.  The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. UCLA assures equal employment opportunity for individuals from historically underrepresented minorities and women, for persons with disabilities, and for covered veterans.  

Application Procedure 

For the 2024-25 fellowship, the application deadline is November 30, 2023. Interested candidates are encouraged to visit Los Angeles for an onsite interview, but this may also be conducted virtually. Please submit by email a CV, statement of interest, and two confidential letters of recommendation directly to: 

Valeria Montoya Ramirez
Fellowship Education Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
UCLA Genital Gender-Affirming Surgery Fellowship
UCLA Department of Urology