American Society of Plastic Surgeons Creates Inaugural Gender-Affirming Master Class

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) will host the inaugural Gender-Affirming Breast, Chest and Body Master Class on July 20 in Miami, Florida, to address the need for expert clinical education focused on the surgical management of gender dysphoria.

The first of its kind, this half-day program is a groundbreaking educational opportunity designed by leading plastic surgeons to provide top-level instruction on one of the specialty's fastest growing patient populations. In 2016 The Williams Institute estimated that the number of adults in the United States identified as transgender has doubled from a decade ago, and the Society is responding with education that focuses on the surgical management of gender dysphoria and quality instruction to ensure optimal patient care.

To accommodate the rising patient demand for gender-affirming surgery, expanded surgical and technical knowledge is required to ensure safe and comprehensive patient care.

"The number of requests for gender-affirming surgical procedures has increased exponentially," said Loren Schechter, MD, FACS, program chair of the gender-affirming master class. "It is the goal of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons to meet the needs of our patients and educate our surgeons in the latest techniques."

The live, half-day Master Class program, hosted at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., features multidisciplinary experts addressing the key standards of care, CPT coding, marketing and social media guidance, and cultural competence considerations, as well as the surgical considerations associated with gender-affirming breast augmentation, chest surgery and body contouring. The program content is designed for plastic surgeons and their teams to advance their knowledge of gender-affirming procedures with a greater understanding of the patient population seeking medical care.

The faculty comprises leaders in the field and represents diverse backgrounds to include plastic surgeons at the forefront of research in gender-affirming procedures and clinical psychologists sharing their perspectives and experiences working with multidisciplinary teams.

"We have assembled an all-star multidisciplinary team of professionals," said Dr. Schechter. "In addition to the technical aspects of surgery, we want to make sure that our attendees are educated in providing culturally competent, affirming care."

Breast Surgery and Body Contouring Symposium

The Gender-Affirming Master Class is scheduled at the conclusion of the 34th annual Breast Surgery and Body Contouring Symposium. Continuing the tradition of clinical programming excellence that is vital to patient safety, the 2019 symposium features late-breaking news related to acellular dermal matrices (ADM) and gluteal fat grafting (BBL) safety, along with recent procedural mandates. Additionally, plastic surgeons receive the most up-to-date information regarding breast augmentation markings, implant selection and location of the inframammary fold. A full day of body contouring techniques and procedures will be highlighted to include essential arm lift and thigh lift approaches and how to refine the trunk in massive weight loss patients - all designed to help you plan and successfully execute for optimal patient outcomes.