The Gender Variance Fellowship Program focuses on topics related to gender variance. The topic of gender identity and gender expression in childhood is an increasingly important one in pediatrics and in several pediatric subspecialties (Developmental-Behavioural Pediatrics, Child Psychiatry, Adolescent Medicine, Endocrinology, Plastic Surgery, General Pediatrics). Understanding typical and atypical (variant) patterns of development of gender identity are essential to adequate health management of cisgender and transgender children and their families, as well as intersex children and their families. During this clinical fellowship, the fellow will spend time predominantly in clinical activities (80% or more) with research involvement in either an ongoing or self-developed project highly encouraged to allow for academic and inter-professional information exchange throughout the 2-year training period.
Program length: 2
Average number of trainees per year: 1
Curriculum
13 blocks per year, with core and community clinical exposures, and continuity clinic throughout the training period; research blocks allowed as well as longitudinal research taking place over the course of the fellowship.
Educational Opportunities
- Opportunities for research with an interdisciplinary team of professionals from various specialties
- Work with colleagues and other trainees from allied health fields (besides other MDs/fellows, there are trainees from psychology, sexology, social work, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and education)
- Clinical exposures in medical specialty areas including pediatrics, adolescent medicine, endocrinology, family medicine, psychiatry
- Psychosocial exposures and discussions
Training Sites
- Montreal Children's Hospital
- Meraki Health Centre
- McGill University Sexual Identity Clinic
- Gender Reassignment Surgery Montreal (surgical site for gender confirmation procedures)
- Head & Hands Clinic (community-based primary health care facility for trans teens/youth)
- Gender Creative Kids (social work/family support clinic)
Division Director
General Pediatrics
Dr. Hema Patel
Postgraduate Medical Education
Residency Program Director
Gender Variance Fellowship Program Director
Dr. Shuvo Ghosh
Administrative Staff
Residency Program Coordinator
peds.admin2 [at] mcgill.ca (Belinda Preziosi)