Career
Before moving to Trinidad, Bowers had a successful practice at the PolyClinic in Seattle, and has delivered over 2000 babies. Before moving to Colorado, Bowers was successfully sued for an improperly performed vaginal surgery in Foreman v. Bowers, King County Superior Cause No. 95-2-05694-4 SEA. Bowers has also served as Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Chairperson at Swedish (Providence) Medical Center, and was named the only physician member of the Washington State midwifery Board. She was named as one of "America's Best Physicians" for the 2002 to 2003 awards, and is a member-elect of the European Academy of Sciences.
When Biber retired in 2003 at the age of 80, Bowers took over his practice, and since then, has done over 300 sexual reassignment surgeries, performing about five operations per week at Mt. San Rafael hospital. Bowers says her surgeries bring an estimated $1.6 million (USD) per year to the hospital; she performs an average of 130 surgeries per year and charges $21,500 (USD) per MTF genital reassignment surgery, a substantial portion of which covers hospital costs. This surgery is only one of several medical interventions that can be part of gender transition.
Bowers relocated from Trinidad, Colorado in December 2010, and currently performs sex reassignment surgery in San Mateo, California. However, her administrative contact information is still based in Colorado.
Sex reassignment surgery generally is not performed on persons under the age of 18 in the United States. However, the issue of athletes who change sexes before puberty has been brought up to Bowers, in relation to a minor who had a sex change operation and wished to try out for a cheerleading team. Bowers was consulted about the issue, and said that most surgeons, including herself, would require patients to wait until they are over the age of 18.
Dr. Bowers also puts her expertise in vaginoplasty at the disposal of victims of female genital mutilation, whom she does not charge for surgery.
Read more about this topic: Marci Bowers
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