June 8 2020
Dr. Gallagher, can you briefly walk us through your story – How you started ? How you got to where you are today?.jpg)
I grew up by the seaside in a rural Ireland, did medical school and internship in Dublin and came to Philadelphia for surgical training. I did 5 years of surgical there followed by three years of plastic surgery training at Indiana University. It was around then I began to become passionate about gender affirmation surgery. I traveled to Europe and Australia to get training in this field and 5 years ago founded the Gender Affirmation Surgery Program at Indiana University. We built a great program there but I always knew living in a landlocked mid-western state was not for me so this year I moved my practice to Miami and have never been happier.
We are always bombarded how great is it to pursue your passion?
What drew me first to gender affirmation surgery was the surgeries themselves. They are technically challenging and fascinating. However, I also fell in love with working with the transgender community. My patients often have dreamed of getting their surgery for years and count down the days. To be around people as their dreams are coming through is obviously wonderful and my office is such a happy place.
We can all identify with the struggle to be our authentic selves and not just to "Fit In" My patients face this struggle more than most. There is still so much misunderstanding about gender identity and transitioning is not easy. There is also a massive need for competent providers in this field
Tell us about your practice?
Like I said I have a very happy practice with the sweetest, most grateful patients. We focus on gender affirmation surgeries and aesthetic surgeries. I was able to convince my sister to quit her job in Dubai and come manage my practice. The surgeries I am most known for are Masculoplasty which is a way to masculinize the chest for patients transitioning from male to female as well as the male to female genital surgeries. Our patients fly in from all over the country and internationally also.
So what is next any big plans?
It is a passion of mine to expand current services so that almost all of the surgical needs of the transitioning patient can be met here with us. As such I am teaming up with other local surgeons. This is a field with so much room for innovation and I certainly get a kick out of advancing the current techniques.
