Transgender Medicine Services

UConn Health is strongly committed to providing compassionate, comprehensive services to members of the transgender and gender nonconforming community. Our providers welcome the opportunity to partner with you on your well-being in a safe and supportive environment. Backed by an academic medical center, our primary care providers act as your liaison to other UConn Health specialties and can help facilitate your individualized care. Many of our primary care providers and specialists offer specific LGBTQIA+ and transgender medicine services to meet the individual needs of each of our patients.

Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy

We are pleased to have Dr. Pooja Luthra and Britta L. Shute, FNP-BC, from UConn Health’s Department of Endocrinology lead our gender-affirming hormone therapy program. The therapy clinic is located at our Farmington campus and appointments can be made by calling 860-679-3245.

Pooja Luthra, M.D., FACE
Transgender hormone therapy

Britta L. Shute, FNP-BC
Transgender hormone therapy

Gender Affirming Surgery/Additional Therapies

Many people on the gender identity spectrum encounter social, employment, economic, and housing discrimination in addition to true safety risks and harassment related to being visibly identified as gender variant. Unfortunately, hormone treatments often fall short of providing structural changes necessary to alleviate symptoms of gender incongruence. At UConn Health, our providers offer a range of services to affirm gender identity beyond hormone replacement.

Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Surgery

Denis Lafreniere, M.D.
Voice modification surgery, rhinoplasty, reduction thyroid chonrdroplasty, blepharoplasty procedures

Hillary A. Newsome, M.D.
Blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, fillers/BOTOX®

General Urological Care

Brooke A. Harnisch, M.D.
Testopel for testosterone replacement, routine urologic care

Stanton Honig, M.D.
First stage gender affirming surgery MtF (bilateral orchiectomies), revision surgery for MtF – urinary and external labial issues, fertility preservation counseling and services MtF (sperm cryopreservation), long acting testosterone pellets or testopel (brand name) by referral, routine urologic care

Gynecology

The following board-certified gynecologists offer transgender patients general gynecological care, oophorectomy, hysterectomy, menstrual suppression, pregnancy prevention, and prenatal care.

Ophthalmology

Madina Falcone, M.D., M.S.
Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)

Pelvic Physical Therapy

Cathy Trahiotis, P.T., M.A.
Thoracic mobilization and breathing, pelvic stabilization and manual therapy, PFM relaxation and treatment, scar mobilization and myofascial release, lower extremity stretching, assessment of movement impairment, preoperative connective tissue work

Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery

Jillian L. Fortier, M.D.
Breast augmentation, mastectomy/male breast reduction, facial fat grafting, facial fillers

Voice Therapy

Qualified speech pathologists are available to provide gender affirming voice therapy. After an evaluation, therapists will design an individualized program to address both verbal and non-verbal communication strategies and characteristics to help patient’s achieve their desired gender presentation.

Starrlett M. Cookman, M.A., CCC-SLP
Patricia B. Doyle, M.A., CCC-SLP
Janet E. Rovalino, M.S., CCC-SLP

Resources