Course Summary

APTN’s Towards Transformative Healthcare: Asia Pacific Trans Health and Rights Module is an introductory resource on trans competent and gender-affirming healthcare for medical professionals and other healthcare workers in Asia and the Pacific, particularly those in primary care including community-based health services. 

Through a self-paced and interactive course, the Toward Transformative Healthcare Module (TTHM) will increase healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills on providing trans clinical and culturally competent care. There are 12 topics, covering everything from gender diversity across the region, to tips on how to create an affirming and welcoming environment for trans patients, to specific healthcare considerations for trans individuals related to mental health, sexual and reproductive health, gender-affirming care, and more.


After completing this module, you will have knowledge of current standards of care for trans patients and  be able to confidently provide healthcare services aligned with global best practices and be able to make your trans patients feel welcomed and affirmed in your clinic. 

Course curriculum

  1. 1

    • Welcome to the TTH Module

    • Purpose and human rights framework

    • Learning Objectives

    • Structure of the Module

    • Development of the Resource

    • Self-reflection
  2. 2

    • Learning Objectives

    • Terminologies Around the Region

    • 1.1 Gender identity and expression

    • 1.2 Terms that describe a person’s gender

    • 1.3 Sexual orientation, attraction and behavior

    • 1.4 Sex characteristics

    • 1.5 Gender affirmation

    • 1.6 Gender-affirming healthcare

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources
  3. 3

    • Learning Objectives

    • 2.1 Minority Stress and psychosocial impacts on mental health

    • 2.2 Mental health and wellbeing context for trans people in this region

    • 2.3 Mental healthcare

    • Self-Reflection Exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources
  4. 4

    • Learning Objectives

    • 3.0 Video: Depathologisation is a path to trans justice (ILGA)

    • 3.1 Depathologization - Being Trans is not an illness

    • 3.2 Depathologizing diagnoses used to provide gender-affirming healthcare

    • 3.3 Informed consent

    • 3.4 Gatekeeping

    • 3.5 Exercise: Review the gatekeeping examples on TransHub

    • Self-Reflection Exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

  5. 5

    • 4.1 Learning Objectives & Overarching principles

    • 4.2The physical clinic environment

    • 4.3 Name, pronoun and gender details

    • 4.4 Discussing parts of the body sensitively

    • 4.5 Avoiding unnecessary and invasive questions

    • 4.6 Physical examinations

    • 4.7 Simulation Exercises

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

  6. 6

    • Learning Objectives

    • 5.1 Medical and surgery history

    • 5.2 Use of Soft Tissue fillers

    • 5.3 Cancer screening

    • Quiz

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

  7. 7

    • Learning Objectives

    • 6.1 Importance of sexual and reproductive health

    • 6.2 Taking a Sexual History

    • 6.3 Neovaginal sexual health

    • 6.4 Metoidioplasty, phalloplasty and sexual health

    • 6.5 Reproductive health including fertility preservation and contraception

    • 6.6 Sexual assault

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

  8. 8

    • Learning Objectives

    • Trans PLHIV Experiences

    • 7.1 Introduction

    • 7.2 HIV prevention, care and treatment cascade

    • 7.3 HIV burden for trans women

    • 7.4 HIV prevalence of trans men and non-binary people AFAB

    • 7.5 Awareness and testing

    • 7.6 HIV medication for prevention and treatment

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

    • Introduction to Gender-Affirming Non-Surgical Care
  9. 9

    • Learning Objectives

    • 8.1 Regional overview

    • 8.2 Informed consent pathway to gender-affirming hormones

    • 8.3 Offering gender-affirming hormone treatment using the Informed Consent Model

    • 8.4 Types of Hormones, dosing and effects

    • 8.5 Risks associated with gender-affirming hormone therapy

    • 8.6 Basic laboratory monitoring while on gender-affirming hormones

    • 8.7 Cardiovascular assessment for trans people using gender-affirming hormones

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources
  10. 10

    • Learning Objectives

    • Introduction to forms of Non-Surgical Gender-Affirmation

    • 9.1 Hair removal

    • 9.2 Voice and communication training

    • 9.3 Tucking

    • 9.4 Binding

    • 9.5 Prosthetics

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

  11. 11

    • Learning Objectives & Introduction

    • 10.1 Regional context

    • 10.2 A general healthcare professional’s role

    • 10.3 Overview of types of gender-affirming surgeries

    • 10.4 WPATH SOC v7 eligibility criteria for surgeries

    • 10.5 Post-surgical follow-up

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources

  12. 12

    • Learning Objectives

    • Supporting Gender Diverse Children and Young People

    • 11.1 Overview

    • 11.2 The importance of gender affirmation for children and young people

    • 11.3 The role of general healthcare practitioners

    • 11.4 Confidentiality

    • 11.5 Consent

    • 11.6 Fully reversible medical steps

    • 11.7 Partially reversible gender affirming hormone treatment for adolescents

    • 11.8 Irreversible surgical interventions for trans and gender diverse adolescents

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources
  13. 13

    • Learning Objectives

    • 12.1 Advocating for individual patients

    • 12.2 Promoting complaints mechanisms

    • 12.3 Advocating for systemic change

    • Exercise: Reviewing statements from health professional bodies

    • 12.4 Community-based and community-led monitoring of health services

    • Self-reflection exercise

    • Practice Points

    • Resources
  14. 14

    • Closing Self-Reflection and Feedback

    • Self-reflection statements

    • Feedback on the module