MILWAUKEE — For those in the transgender community, access to health care hasn’t always been easy.
One Wisconsin doctor is helping patients through experience with her own journey.
At the Milwaukee VA, transgender care for veterans is managed by a team of doctors, lead by Dr. Jamie Buth.
Buth transitioned nearly 30 years ago after she said she longed to live in accordance with her gender identity, rather than the gender she was assigned at birth. Ever since, she’s focused her work as a doctor on transgender care.
She’s been in the medical field for decades and has worked in many departments.
She spends two weeks out of each month seeing patients at the Milwaukee VA and working at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The other two weeks of each month are dedicated to seeing patients at the VA hospital in New Orleans.
Buth said being able to use her own journey to help her patients through theirs is something she feels passionate about. She said she wishes this type of care was around when she transitioned.
“Now what I do is try to be the provider I wish I had around when I was transitioning, to listen, to understand, to help,” Buth said.
At the Milwaukee VA, Buth’s patients rave about the care and consideration she provides.
U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard veteran, Niko Dorsett, said meeting Buth has been lifesaving.
“I didn’t expect to be alive this long,” Dorsett said. “She helped me and I am still alive. It’s a big deal.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not cover gender transition surgery. However, it does offer transgender and LGBTQ+ counseling and care, as well as hormone therapy and referrals.
“There are a lot of trans veterans, and so what I do is medical management,” she said. “Which involves gender-affirming hormones, referrals to specialists like speech therapy, or dermatology for laser hair removal.”
Jessica Fuller is another patient of Buth at the Milwaukee VA. Fuller said she never thought she’d have access to this quality of care after her years in the U.S. Navy.
Buth said it brings a smile to her face to know her patients are getting inclusive medical care.
“Working with them, seeing them get to where they need to be, brings me great joy,” Buth said.