Global Education Institute Main Page - WPATH World Professional Association for Transgender Health

Currently, over 5,000 attendees have been GEI trained!

WPATH offers our Global Education Institute (GEI) Certified Training Courses: Best Practices in Transgender Medical and Mental Health Care first and foremost to increase access to knowledgeable healthcare providers for the transgender community by training those providers globally in the context and principles of the WPATH Standards of Care, and their implementation into clinical practice. GEI Certified Training Courses are offered in an interdisciplinary, interactive, live format, providing ample opportunity for networking and building referral systems. These courses serve as the Core Curriculum for WPATH Members pursuing WPATH GEI SOC7 Certification, but are open to all healthcare professionals across all specialties, regardless of WPATH Membership Status.

SOC8 Certification UPDATE

Following the release of the WPATH Standards of Care, Version 8, in September 2022, the GEI Steering Group and Certification & Mentorship Committee are in the process of updating the requirements for GEI Certification, and the GEI Certification Exam. The requirements listed below may be subject to change slightly. More information will be available by Summer 2023.

When it is available, all active WPATH GEI Certified Members will automatically be invited to complete the first GEI SOC8 Certification Exam (anticipated in early spring 2023) to update their Certification status. Please note that your membership and Ongoing CE requirement must be up-to-date in order to receive the option to upgrade to SOC8 Certification.

If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Hicks at jamie@wpath.org.

What is WPATH Certification all about?

The WPATH Certification Program is an optional benefit to our members that signifies a provider is a WPATH member in good standing who has completed an additional rigorous educational curriculum specific to the most current Standards of Care. The certification indicates that the provider has a working understanding of the multidisciplinary care team and the translation of the Standards into practice. The extensive 50 hour core competencies-based training program includes course work, mentorship and a minimum membership requirement before passing a certification exam. WPATH certification rewards those members who are committing to stay on top of both the current evidence and consensus in the field through continuing education.

GEI CORE CURRICULUM COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Certification Portal

GEI SOC7 Attendees from 58 Different Countries

The Path to Certification

The first step in starting your path to certification, is becoming a WPATH member, and completing and uploading your Letter of Intent (link below).

Be a member of WPATH in good standing for 2 years at the time of final exam
Be licensed and board certified (if applicable) in your specialty or the global equivalent
Complete the following courses, in the WPATH Core Curriculum:
- Completion of the WPATH Foundations Course
- Completion the following WPATH Advanced Courses:
  - Completion of WPATH Advanced Mental Health or WPATH Advanced Medical Course
  - Completion of ONE of the WPATH Advanced Workshops (i.e., Child & Adolescent, Ethics, or Planning & Documenting for Medical Transition). Offerings will vary.
- 10 hours of accredited elective coursework outside of the WPATH Core Curriculum (this can include both WPATH GEI certified courses, and other accredited professional courses in the field), showing a mapping back to the core competencies (Caregiver – Care Receiver Relationship, Content Knowledge, Interdisciplinary Practice, and Professional Responsibility)
- 10 hours of mentorship with a WPATH GEI Certified Mentor*. Mentors are WPATH GEI Certified Members, please see the MENTOR DIRECTORY below for current mentors
- 5 additional hours listening to voices of the transgender and gender non-binary communities, examples include: attend town halls at WPATH conferences, attend community-focused sessions at WPATH conferences, attend community-led conferences/workshops, attend local community events, listen to/watch community-led and community-focused online content (online listening and virtual conferences can fulfill this requirement)
Provide evidence of knowledge, skill, and accomplishments in transgender health i.e. CV, publications, case studies, experience, learning initiatives
Agree to adhere to the WPATH SOC 8 or latest published revision
Successfully pass the certification exam, which is given online, free of charge, in an open-book, multiple choice format.
Agree to comply with the Ongoing CE requirement of 20 CE hours every two-years to maintain certification (see information below)

Ongoing CE Requirement: Maintaining your WPATH GEI SOC7 Certification:

Beginning on the date of Exam Completion/Certification, WPATH GEI Certified Members must complete 20 CE credit hours every 2 years in order to maintain their GEI Certification.

These can be earned by attending or presenting at any accredited event, training or conference that relates to the field of Transgender Health and is aligned with the Standards of Care and the mission and vision of WPATH. If you have any questions about whether an event qualifies for Ongoing CEs, please email us at wpath@wpath.org.

*Please Note: You MUST be a WPATH Member in order to begin your WPATH GEI SOC7 Mentoring hours, with a WPATH GEI SOC7 Certified Mentor, please see link below for current mentors in the MENTOR DIRECTORY, if you don't see a name listed, they are not certified WPATH mentors, and your mentoring hours WILL NOT count towards your certification.

If you have any questions about these requirements, please review the WPATH GEI Certification FAQ document or contact wpath@wpath.org.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE GEI LETTER OF INTENT

WPATH GEI CERTIFIED MENTORSHIP

WPATH Members on the Path to Certification must complete 10 hours of mentorship with a WPATH GEI Certified Mentor. Please see the links below for more information.

Mental Health Professionals:

Please click the link below to view the information for our WPATH GEI Certified Mental Health Mentors.

MENTOR DIRECTORY - MENTAL HEALTH MENTORS

Medical Professionals:

Please click the link below to view the information for our WPATH GEI Certified Medical Mentors.

MENTOR DIRECTOR - MEDICAL MENTORS

ADVANCED PATH TO CERTIFICATION

The link application for the Advanced Path for GEI SOC7 Certification has now closed.

Following the release of the WPATH Standards of Care, Version 8, in September 2022, WPATH Members must complete the standard path to GEI Certification to become GEI SOC8 Certified. More information will be available by Summer 2023.

If you have any questions, please contact wpath@wpath.org.

GEI History

History of GEI Co-Chairs

Lin Fraser, EdD served as inaugural Mental Health Chair, along with Gail Knudson, MD the inaugural Medical Chair of GEI

Current GEI Co-Chairs

Ren Massey, PhD, Mental Health Chair of GEI, with Gail Knudson, MD Medical Chair of GEI

GEI Committees

Given the continued expansion of these and other programs, the GEI Strategic Plan outlines a hub and spoke model for the Global Education Institute, where initiatives of the GEI Steering Group (the hub) are put into action by the work of the GEI Committees (the spokes). This new model gives members the opportunity to increase their engagement and involvement in GEI, and creates a pipeline for future leadership.

Click here to learn about the roles and responsibilities of each committee and the committee members.

Follow link to view the four Core Competencies

Telehealth & Covid-19 Video Series

Find out how your colleagues are utilizing telehealth to treat their patient population in the wake of the COVID-19 global health crisis.

Upcoming GEI Courses

Join us at one of our upcoming Global Education Initiative training courses.