Male dermatologist and female patients

[MeatAndCheese]

On my derm rotation, I keep running into the issue that many female patients are not comfortable having a male medical student in the room when they have 'weird spots' or mole checks. I'm concerned about this for a few reasons. First, I'm on a rotation, and I want to learn as much as possible, and I also want to be a hard worker/help the residents as much as I can. Second, in private practice/residency, does this continue to be an issue? I work almost exclusively work with female residents, and in all the situations where a patient did not want me in the room, I was with a female resident and female attending. Do any of you have advice/comments?

Just so we're clear, I understand that all patients have the right to request that a medical student, or even a resident, not see/interview/examine them. I also appreciate that so many patients allow me to learn about their diseases. However, I don't understand why when I was on OB/GYN I never had a single female patient request that I not perform a pelvic exam/assist with a delivery/do a breast exam, yet in derm, it seems like a ton of women feel uncomfortable having me in the room while they have a spot checked. Is this because I'm male or is it because I'm a male medical student?

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[asmallchild]

On my derm rotation, I keep running into the issue that many female patients are not comfortable having a male medical student in the room when they have 'weird spots' or mole checks. I'm concerned about this for a few reasons. First, I'm on a rotation, and I want to learn as much as possible, and I also want to be a hard worker/help the residents as much as I can. Second, in private practice/residency, does this continue to be an issue? I work almost exclusively work with female residents, and in all the situations where a patient did not want me in the room, I was with a female resident and female attending. Do any of you have advice/comments?

Just so we're clear, I understand that all patients have the right to request that a medical student, or even a resident, not see/interview/examine them. I also appreciate that so many patients allow me to learn about their diseases. However, I don't understand why when I was on OB/GYN I never had a single female patient request that I not perform a pelvic exam/assist with a delivery/do a breast exam, yet in derm, it seems like a ton of women feel uncomfortable having me in the room while they have a spot checked. Is this because I'm male or is it because I'm a male medical student?

It happens, roll with it and definitely do not complain about it in front of the residents/attendings. It works both ways as I've been asked (as a student and as a resident) to leave the room when male patients have lesions they only want to show to male residents/attendings. I find this to be less of an issue in private practice as patients usually know who they are seeing prior to scheduling an appointment (as compared to academics where they may schedule to see an attending but have a grabbag of residents who can barge in). From a medicolegal standpoint, I'm always accompanied by a medical assistant in private practice on all skin checks which is a luxury not available in many academic centers for residents.

 

[DermViser]

On my derm rotation, I keep running into the issue that many female patients are not comfortable having a male medical student in the room when they have 'weird spots' or mole checks. I'm concerned about this for a few reasons. First, I'm on a rotation, and I want to learn as much as possible, and I also want to be a hard worker/help the residents as much as I can. Second, in private practice/residency, does this continue to be an issue? I work almost exclusively work with female residents, and in all the situations where a patient did not want me in the room, I was with a female resident and female attending. Do any of you have advice/comments?

Just so we're clear, I understand that all patients have the right to request that a medical student, or even a resident, not see/interview/examine them. I also appreciate that so many patients allow me to learn about their diseases. However, I don't understand why when I was on OB/GYN I never had a single female patient request that I not perform a pelvic exam/assist with a delivery/do a breast exam, yet in derm, it seems like a ton of women feel uncomfortable having me in the room while they have a spot checked. Is this because I'm male or is it because I'm a male medical student?

Yes, it can happen. It works in reverse too - men with lesions on their penis and having a female medical student or female resident come in which they will ask not to have. Don't worry about it, and definitely don't complain about it.

It goes away more as a resident, bc you're doing a lot more than just watching (writing Rxs, writing the note, etc.) but we've had instances where that's happened and just the attending will go see that patient.

 

[username456789]

Happened to me not too infrequently as a medical student. As a resident, I have only ever had one person request a female instead of me, and that person was of middle eastern heritage and made such a request due to religious/cultural concerns.

Having a female MA as a chaperone is a rare luxury for me as a resident; however, there are some patients for whom I go out of my way to recruit one just to be extra super safe.

 

[sore eye asses]

On my derm rotation, I keep running into the issue that many female patients are not comfortable having a male medical student in the room when they have 'weird spots' or mole checks. I'm concerned about this for a few reasons. First, I'm on a rotation, and I want to learn as much as possible, and I also want to be a hard worker/help the residents as much as I can. Second, in private practice/residency, does this continue to be an issue? I work almost exclusively work with female residents, and in all the situations where a patient did not want me in the room, I was with a female resident and female attending. Do any of you have advice/comments?

Just so we're clear, I understand that all patients have the right to request that a medical student, or even a resident, not see/interview/examine them. I also appreciate that so many patients allow me to learn about their diseases. However, I don't understand why when I was on OB/GYN I never had a single female patient request that I not perform a pelvic exam/assist with a delivery/do a breast exam, yet in derm, it seems like a ton of women feel uncomfortable having me in the room while they have a spot checked. Is this because I'm male or is it because I'm a male medical student?

Because derm patients are crazy.

I've been working under the assumption for the past year that 85% of my patients actually meant to attend a psych appt and then got lost and just wandered into derm for the hell of it.