There are not many published guidelines for providers on how trained medical providers can assist Transgender/Gender Diverse individuals in achieving their embodiment goals effectively and safely. Current standards of care are based on a few short-term to medium-term outcome studies and expert opinion. This is due to a paucity of providers who feel comfortable assuming the role of endocrine care for these patients. 

The burden of taking care of Transgender/Gender Diverse individuals is often assumed for medical providers trained in the nuances of hormonal care, i.e. endocrinologists, however, fundamental differences distinguish gender diversity from the conditions on which endocrinologists typically focus. This is because even though hormones do impact gender identity development, being transgender is neither an endocrine condition nor a type of disease. Furthermore, unlike many endocrine conditions, no currently available laboratory test can identify an individual's gender identity. In addition, only recently have medical curricula begun to include training in gender diversity, underscoring the importance of continuing medical education on this specialized population.