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New Center for Transgender Health offers gender affirmation services

Benny K. Tan, MB, BCh, BAO (MD), joined UF Health in April 2021 as associate professor for the department of surgery at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville and medical director of the newly established Center for Transgender Health on the UF Health Jacksonville campus. He also serves as associate chair for inclusion, diversity, equity and access in the department of surgery.

Dr. Tan came to UF Health Jacksonville by way of Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he practiced cancer reconstructive surgery for several years. He received his medical education from the National University of Ireland and continued his training as a general surgery resident at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Dr. Tan completed a fellowship in hand surgery and microsurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. He completed a plastic surgery residency at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Dr. Tan wanted to expand his skill set beyond cancer reconstruction surgery and returned to The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he completed a fellowship in complex gender affirmation surgery and microsurgery.

The Center for Transgender Health started under the leadership of Dr. Tan. The center offers expanded surgical services, such as gender affirmation surgery, and provides patients a comprehensive care approach. Physicians collaborate across various departments and specialties, including primary care, psychiatry, psychology, endocrinology, urology, gynecology and plastic surgery, in order to offer a connected care model to treat the whole patient. Surgical procedures performed at the center include transmasculine and transfeminine top surgeries to the portion of the body above the waist. Dr. Tan has plans to expand to transmasculine and transfeminine bottom surgeries to the portion of the body below the waist in the near future.

“I believe offering these unique services will break down the barrier of inaccessibility for patients with gender dysphoria in our area,” Dr. Tan said. “As we diversify health care systems nationwide, it is important patients receive safe, high-quality care and providers become more aware of this growing need.” 

recent study published in the journal of American Society of Plastic Surgeons on trends of gender affirming surgeries found transgender care and gender confirming surgery are an increasing component of health care in the United States. With the increased demand for surgery, there is also a growing need for surgeons trained in complex gender affirmation surgeries and procedures. Dr. Tan’s goal is to make these services more accessible to patients in the region.

“My vision is for the UF Health Center for Transgender Health to be the center of excellence in Florida for gender affirmation services,” Dr. Tan said.

Dr. Tan is currently accepting new patients and is working with primary care physicians and local organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community to inform patients of these services.

Visit our website or email Dr. Tan at Benny.tan@jax.ufl.edu to learn more about the gender affirmation services offered at the UF Health Center for Transgender Health.