Joshua D Safer, MD

Joshua D. Safer, MD, FACP, FACE is the Executive Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery (CTMS) and Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. 

Dr. Safer was previously the founding Medical Director of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Safer earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin.  He completed his internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and his endocrinology fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Dr. Safer was the inaugural president of the United States Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH).  He also serves on the Global Education Initiative committee for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and on the Standards of Care revision committee for WPATH. Dr. Safer was a co-author of the Endocrine Society guidelines for the medical care of transgender patients and has been a scientific co-chair for WPATH's international meetings.  In addition, he is a past president of the Association of Specialty Professors, the umbrella organization for leaders in internal medicine subspecialty education, and a former secretary-treasurer of the national endocrinology program director organization, the Association of Program Directors in Endocrinology and Metabolism, (APDEM).

Dr. Safer’s research focus is on demonstrating the health and quality of life benefits for transgender patients from increased access to care. His current and past sources of funding support include the NIH and a number of private foundations.

In the News:

• Dr. Safer shares his thoughts on transient surgery and how him and his team are trying to share the new knowledge they obtain.
• Dr. Safer joins Katie Couric to discuss the biggest barriers that transgender face to obtain medical care.
• The Daily News shares the story of a transgender woman’s journey of beating breast cancer, with Dr. Safer weighing in on the carcinogenic dangers that implants bring.
• Dr. Safer weighs in on the court case that highlights misconceptions surrounding pediatric transgender care.
• Dr. Safer shares his opinion on the matter of sex-change operations yielding long-term mental health benefits for Transgender people.
• Dr. Safer discusses the barriers that transgender adults face when seeking gender-confirmation surgery, specifically overweight and obesity issues.
• Dr. Safer stresses the necessity of education in order to provide long-lasting meaningful change in the care for transgender individuals, with Medical Xpress and MedPage Today.
• Dr. Safer provides his experience with trans youth and the assistance of gender-affirming hormones.
• Dr. Safer shares his thoughts on how exceptional and knowledgeable transgender care access is tied to less suicidality.
• Hear Dr. Safer’s opinion on whether suppressing puberty is the right course when a child questions their gender.
• Dr. Safer comments on the study showing transgender men yielding eggs, babies, even after testosterone.
• Dr. Safer weighs in on and debunks the seven myths about trans health care.
• Dr. Safer discusses the controversial pubertal blocker legislation that may bring unintended consequences for children.
• Dr. Safer comments on the fact that many trans youth avoid revealing gender identity to doctors.
• Dr. Safer spoke to the New York Post about the re-opening of elective surgeries at the Center for Transgender Medicine.
• Dr. Safer weighs in on the Trump administration’s new ruling that would roll back antidiscrimination protections for transgender individuals set forth under the Affordable Care Act.
• Dr. Safer discusses the benefit of having supportive parents when it comes to transgender healthcare.
• Dr. Safer comments on the necessity of respectful treatment when it comes to transgender patients.