Crozer Health Announces Gender Affirmation Program and Surgical Fellowship Graduation

Crozer Health is proud to announce its Gender Affirmation Program and Gender Affirmation Surgery Fellowship Graduation. The Gender Affirmation Program provides individuals with access to life-changing services that have the potential to drastically improve their quality of life and decrease depression and social anxiety. The Gender Affirmation Surgery Fellowship is one of the only transgender surgery teaching programs in the U.S. and one of the top programs in the area.

Crozer Health’s program includes gender affirmation surgery, which helps patients with gender dysphoria create an external appearance and sexual function that matches their interior selves. Surgeries include male-to-female and female-to-male, microvascular phalloplasty, vaginoplasty, chest surgeries, facial feminization, Adam’s Apple reduction, vocal cord surgery, and hair transplants. Non-surgical options include hormone therapy and voice treatment.  

Fellow Dany Hanna, D.O. graduated in June after extensive training during the 2020 – 2021 academic year. Hanna earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and his Bachelor of Science from Worcester State University. The Crozer Health Gender Affirmation Program and Fellowship are directed by renowned plastic surgeon, Kathy L. Rumer D.O., who joined Delaware County Memorial Hospital in early 2020. Primary faculty also includes Sherman Leis, D.O., Program Co-Director.  

“We recognize the growing need for accessible, gender-affirming, and high-quality care to treat those seeking gender affirmation options,” shares Matt Shelak, President of Delaware County Memorial Hospital. “Dr. Rumer and Dr. Leis not only provide exceptional care to their patients, but they are also educating the next generation of medical providers through our fellowship program. Congratulations, Dr. Hanna, on your accomplishments this past year.”

Crozer Health is the only health system in the region to offer this highly specialized fellowship program that is not widely available in the United States. The Gender Affirmation Surgery Fellowship provides an opportunity for two physicians who have previously completed their residency in Plastic Surgery or Urology to complete further, extensive education and training to become highly skilled in transgender surgery. Fellows are provided with hands-on instruction with all major reconstructive cases from pre-operative to post-operative care.

“We are excited to work with Delaware County Memorial Hospital to meet the needs of the transgender community by developing this dedicated Gender Affirmation Program as well as graduating our first Gender Affirmation Surgical Fellow,” says Dr. Rumer. “This unique fellowship, in a high-volume, low complication-rate environment, provides extensive education and training to future leaders in gender affirmation surgery. It is an honor to be able to share my extensive experience to develop competent surgeons that will benefit the transgender community.”

How to Apply for the Gender Affirmation Surgery Fellowship

To be eligible for application to the Gender Affirmation Surgery Fellowship, doctors must have successfully completed an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)–accredited urological surgery or plastic surgery residency.

For more information about the Transgender Fellowship Training Program, please visit crozerhealth.org/academics.

About Kathy L. Rumer, D.O.

Dr. Rumer is well-versed in transgender health, with an extensive background that includes surgical collaboration abroad with internationally recognized experts, presentations, clinical research, and the development of scholarly articles. She brings a unique background to Crozer Health, combining advanced mathematics, engineering, art, and science to provide her patients with the best possible experience.

Dr. Rumer earned her medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she also completed a fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and a residency in General Surgery. She is a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and a member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.