Friday, October 24, 2008
The Most Dreaded Day in Medical School
Pelvic examination day, where we must perform the full genital exam on a real, live, person. And it was... totally fine. I thought the ophthalmascopic (eye) exam was more difficult, and more uncomfortable ("While you go on in your investigation to find my macula, are you sure this light scorching my eye won't turn me blind?")
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3 comments:
Hehehehe, you bring back memories!
When I and my brother and my husband were medical students together (in SoCal!) we had to do the pelvic exam on a "model" that we paid (do you still have to pay the "models"?). We had a friend with us, who was very nervous. Actually, all three of them were nervous, being guys and never having done this before. Having actually been through this many times, I was not so intimidated. They pushed me up first, so I did it, no problem, passed. My husband went next, and then my brother, no problems, just very nervous. Then Charles, who was sweating bullets, went next. He was instructed to warn the patient with, "I will now insert the speculum into your vagina." Unfortunately, it came out, "I will now insert my fist into your vagina." We three lost it, could not control ourselves, had to leave the room. Charles has never lived this down to this day. Maybe that's why he and my husband went into anesthesia. My bro and I went into OB/GYN.
Thanks for the memories! Nice blog you have here!
Hi Storkdok (he. he. Ob/Gyn I suppose?)
That's hilarious. I think I dedicate 25% of my brain to making sure I don't say something stupid to a patient. I bet Charles was thinking of suppressing the worst thing he could possibly say, and those were the words that ended up coming out.
We don't hire models, but the school brings in local L.A. actors. They are trained to tell us about their symptoms, and then we do a phys exam.
Anesthesia is a good choice for doctors who think the patient will be happier with the results than the process.
Take Care,
Adina
Pelvic exams are creepy and unnecessary when women do not have symptoms. Maybe you and your school should start questioning WHY you are promoting this type of CARE for women.
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