Adult Gender Medicine

Our dedicated experts in gender-affirming therapy provide the highest quality care personalized to your needs. Care includes collaboration between endocrinologists and family medicine experts, and typically proceeds with these steps:

Consultation
You’ll begin by talking with a Duke gender care provider about your goals. We’ll review your medical history and explain the risks and benefits of gender-affirming hormone therapy. You’ll learn what to expect as you begin therapy and as you continue over time.

Baseline Lab Work
You’ll have baseline lab work to evaluate your overall health.

Hormone Therapy
When you and your care provider agree that you’re ready, you’ll begin gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Gender Affirming Surgery (Top Surgery)
Duke Health offers several top surgery options to transgender, gender diverse, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people who want their physical self to align with their internal identity. 
 

First-Year Follow-Up
During your first year of therapy, you’ll come for office visits at least every three months so we can monitor your treatment. Your discussions with your provider, along with regular lab tests, will determine whether your therapy should be adjusted.

Long-Term Follow-Up
After your first year, your follow-up visits will be less frequent. However, you can always make an appointment if you have questions or concerns.

Duke’s adult gender medicine program offers support services to patients before, during, and after medical transitioning to address stress management, coping with adjustment concerns, depression, anxiety, and further exploration of gender and/or sexual identity concerns. Our care is an essential resource in our area and offers you these advantages:

Medical Expertise in Transgender Care
​You’ll receive care from providers who are experienced in treating transgender patients. In addition to endocrinologists, these include primary care providers who have a special interest in delivering comprehensive primary care to people who are transgender.

Primary Care Responsive to LGBTQ+ Needs
Input from a community advisory board has helped shape our primary care priorities and practices, enabling us to create a patient-centered medical home for people in the LGBTQ+ community at Duke Family Medicine Center.

Referrals to Experts for Essential Services
Our providers have access to the extensive resources of Duke Health and can refer you for a broad range of services. Whether you’re seeking counseling, an expert surgeon for gender-affirming surgery, fertility preservation services, or other specialized medical care, we can guide you to an expert who can help. This includes support from our licensed social workers who can offer you insight on community resource referrals, advocacy, and connect you with to peer or professional support groups. Our goal is to help you feel empowered to maximize your overall well-being, quality of life, and self-fulfillment.