Is it weird for guys to go into ob/gyn?

[coralfangs]

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I've never given serious thought about the specialties til I started talking with the docs at work.
I thought about pediatric because I love kids. The docs suggested I shouldn't because it is hard to see kids dying and you wouldn't be able to help sometimes.
I thought about pathology because I love profiling (genetic, proteomic, etc) and I've done quite a lot of work on those. The docs suggested that my personality ain't suited for pathology.
Then I thought about fetal medicine. I did my undergraduate on developmental biology and I love the stuff (I can spend hours reading devo bio articles). I even keep in touch with my senior project PI on regular basis to discuss devo topics (2 years after I graduated).
However, you have to go through ob/gyn residency, no?

Well, response from my mom was, "it's weird for you to look at vagina everyday" (she was a cardiologist and for some reason she thinks it's weird for her son to go into ob/gyn)

How weird is that for a male ob/gyn?


ps: I also think it's weird that I am tipsy and all I can think about is this stuff

 

[1956Goldtop]

Its certainly more acceptable than it was in the past, but yea I think there is some level of discomfort with the whole males going into ob/gyn thing. Personally, I think your avatar makes it clear that this is the field you were meant to go into.

btw I do know a few male ob/gyns and they seem to be doing well for themselves. The only problem is with the massive risk for law suits!

 

[Picklesali]

Its certainly more acceptable than it was in the past, but yea I think there is some level of discomfort with the whole males going into ob/gyn thing. Personally, I think your avatar makes it clear that this is the field you were meant to go into.

btw I do know a few male ob/gyns and they seem to be doing well for themselves. The only problem is with the massive risk for law suits!

This is just my opinion but I feel it's less acceptable than in the past. i.e. when there were only male doctors all ob/gyns were male, but when women started to practice patients started to prefer them. I think it's fine for men to join, I just think that it's more likely for a woman to prefer a female "woman doctor" to a male. If you're doing mostly obstetrics, for some reason it seems to matter less.

(this is all my own uninformed opinion)

 

[zenlike]

I prefer to have a female primary physician and my g/f prefers to have a male gyn. So, there's no absolute rule of preference.

 

[smq123]

Then I thought about fetal medicine. I did my undergraduate on developmental biology and I love the stuff (I can spend hours reading devo bio articles). I even keep in touch with my senior project PI on regular basis to discuss devo topics (2 years after I graduated).
However, you have to go through ob/gyn residency, no?

Well, response from my mom was, "it's weird for you to look at vagina everyday" (she was a cardiologist and for some reason she thinks it's weird for her son to go into ob/gyn)

How weird is that for a male ob/gyn?

It kind of annoys me when people say "Eww, it's weird for a guy to be an OB/gyn because you have to look at 'it' all day." But people don't say the same thing to guys who want to go into GI or colorectal surgery...even though they're looking at a different 'it' all day.... It seems like a bit of a double standard to me.

Yes, a lot of people become perinatologists through an OB/gyn residency, followed by a Maternal-Fetal medicine fellowship.

You could also do pediatrics and then become a neonatologist - that also involves a lot of developmental biology, and there is a bit of overlap there. Yes, in pediatrics you will see children die, but in OB/gyn you might see infants die. There is a risk of significant heart-wrenching moments in both specialties.

You'll have a chance through third year to see which appeals to you more. OB/gyn is longer, and involves more time in the OR (since half of your time is spent on gynecological services). Peds has a bigger outpatient component, and is shorter. You'll see which one appeals to you more.

 

[Chemist0157]

Hmm...I don't think it's weird. It's just not for me. Most women I've talked to say they are more comfortable with a woman ob/gyn. The doctor I'm shadowing does a little "woman work" since he is in internal medicine, but it doesn't go very far.

It would be weird for me. I wouldn't want to think they my patients are some uncomfortable, simply because I'm a guy. Plus, it's just not my interest 🙂

 

[Snake Doctor]

Well, it's easier to land an OB/GYN residency if you're a guy. Just watch out for those malpractice suits. I say go for it if that's what you want to do.

Side note, I personally would be more comfortable going to a female urologist than a male urologist. Having another dude... eh, let's not go there. It feels more awkward if it's the same sex... I'm serious too.
I guess it's a matter of preference?

 

[bozz]

I prefer to have a female primary physician and my g/f prefers to have a male gyn. So, there's no absolute rule of preference.

woah... why's that?

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Its certainly more acceptable than it was in the past, but yea I think there is some level of discomfort with the whole males going into ob/gyn thing. Personally, I think your avatar makes it clear that this is the field you were meant to go into.

btw I do know a few male ob/gyns and they seem to be doing well for themselves. The only problem is with the massive risk for law suits!

Uhhh, what?

In "the past" there were no female doctors, let alone Ob/Gyns.

I don't think there's any data that suggest that male Obs are at greater risk for lawsuits.

You'll see in med school that Ob/Gyn, like everything else, is a specialty that cannot be reduced to a few pithy comments. It is much more than looking at "it" all day especially if you do MFM. If you end up loving it, you'll go for it.

 

[Maxprime]

With the shortage of docs, especially in OB/Gyn, no matter how much they don't like it - you will probably have a full patient list. Do whatever you want to do - would you rather spend the rest of your life in a field you enjoy with occasional issues or in your second choice with less issues?

 

[LizzyM]

Side note, I personally would be more comfortable going to a female urologist than a male urologist. Having another dude... eh, let's not go there. It feels more awkward if it's the same sex... I'm serious too.
I guess it's a matter of preference?

Of the urologists I've known over the decades, all have been heterosexual and the men have been very dignified.

On the subject of ob-gyns: I've been a patient of both male and female gynecologists and I have good and bad experiences with both. Most women prefer female gynecologists for primary care services. When someone is sick, they want a qualified person regardless of sex/gender. For that reason, I think that men who want to go into ob-gyn do well do specialize in maternal fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology, etc.

On the subject of lawsuits: obstetricians are lawsuit magnets given the high risk nature of childbirth. I doubt that sex/gender makes a difference but a man who goes into OB is going to be at risk for suits (compared with other specialties) thus the warnings from some of the posters here.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

This is just my opinion but I feel it's less acceptable than in the past. i.e. when there were only male doctors all ob/gyns were male, but when women started to practice patients started to prefer them. I think it's fine for men to join, I just think that it's more likely for a woman to prefer a female "woman doctor" to a male. If you're doing mostly obstetrics, for some reason it seems to matter less.

(this is all my own uninformed opinion)

I agree with you, most women would prefer another woman looking that their junk and handling their needs. However, reality has to set in for them. There are way too many preggos out there for 100% women to handle. There are barely enough to handle them if you include men, hence the horrible >90 hr work weeks. Based on the women I've talked too, it is more comfortable for them to have their Gyn needs handled by another female. When it comes to OB, anything goes! I think that as a guy, unless you look like Mr. T, flava flav, or Golum from LOR, you should not have to worry about making your patiend uncomfortable.

PS: unless you do or say something or smell really bad!

 

[Law2Doc]

This is just my opinion but I feel it's less acceptable than in the past. i.e. when there were only male doctors all ob/gyns were male, but when women started to practice patients started to prefer them. I think it's fine for men to join, I just think that it's more likely for a woman to prefer a female "woman doctor" to a male. If you're doing mostly obstetrics, for some reason it seems to matter less.

(this is all my own uninformed opinion)

I don't know if it's an issue of acceptability, but there are definitely fewer and fewer male obgyns each year as the percentage of women in med school increases, and a good number (of women) seem to flock to the less male dominated specialties such as OB/GYN and to Peds. There is nothing wrong with a guy going into OBGYN. During your core rotation in 3rd year you will be doing many pelvic exams a day for a month or so and won't think anything weird of it; there is nothing sexual going on and you it will gradually become just another part of the human body. Women are over half of your patient base in any specialty and so a knowledge of women's health issues is good foundation for whatever you go into.

However if you do choose OBGYN you will be the odd minority and may likely find yourself feeling like an outsider. That would be my concern, although I admittedly found a lot of the procedural stuff you get to do as a med student kind of fun (OBGYN more hands on than most rotations). The ratio of female to male residents at some places is typically something like 6:1 at best (with the 1 sometimes being someone from a foreign country where medicine is still male dominated). But as the number of males going into this specialty contineus to drop precipitously, the demand goes up, and a lot of residencies would look positively on male med students wanting to go into this field. The attendings in this field repeatedly tell med students they need more men to go into the specialty. I just don't see it happening due to the odd-man-out lack of inclusion you'd experience at some places. Just my 2 cents.

 

[shiftingmirage]

As long as I feel comfortable with the individual, I don't have a gender preference. I would sincerely hope most OB/GYN's did not go into the field to look at 'it' rather they like the miracle of life and what not. Although you might be 'friends' with your doc, at the end of the day, it is a business relationship. You pay them for a service, and their ability to deliver that service is gender independent.

 

[8744]

I've never given serious thought about the specialties til I started talking with the docs at work.
I thought about pediatric because I love kids. The docs suggested I shouldn't because it is hard to see kids dying and you wouldn't be able to help sometimes.
I thought about pathology because I love profiling (genetic, proteomic, etc) and I've done quite a lot of work on those. The docs suggested that my personality ain't suited for pathology.
Then I thought about fetal medicine. I did my undergraduate on developmental biology and I love the stuff (I can spend hours reading devo bio articles). I even keep in touch with my senior project PI on regular basis to discuss devo topics (2 years after I graduated).
However, you have to go through ob/gyn residency, no?

Well, response from my mom was, "it's weird for you to look at vagina everyday" (she was a cardiologist and for some reason she thinks it's weird for her son to go into ob/gyn)

How weird is that for a male ob/gyn?


ps: I also think it's weird that I am tipsy and all I can think about is this stuff

No. It's not weird. It is weird, however, for a guy to describe himself as "tipsy." Dude, that's a word for old ladies or sorority sisters. If you would drink, then get drunk...for God's sake, anything but "tipsy."

Oh, and grow up. There is nothing naughty about OB/Gyn and no need to sexualize any aspect of medicine.

 

[1956Goldtop]

It would be rather disturbing to see someone go into Ob/Gyn just to "look at it."

 

[Gut Shot]

The docs suggested that my personality ain't suited for pathology.

Based on your avatar I'd have to disagree.

 

[sunnyskies]

I go to a male, and would never dream of switching doctors. I think that male obgyns are much more verbal about what they are going to do and why (probably because of harassment claims, but I could be wrong). Don't think that going into it is weird or a huge minority because the practice I go to is about half males and half females.

 

[SilkyDelicious]

I work for a urogyn surgeon right now, and I personally would have a hard time becoming an ob/gyn. Obviously at first it was a little awkward talking about vagina all day, but now it's like second nature. It's actually pretty funny when i'm doing an experiment at the engineering building when one of the fellows and we show up with a bunch of vaginal tissue. All of the PhD students get a kick out of telling anyone and everyone that comes through that we're the 'vagina people'. But handling a tiny specimen of tissue and working with actual women day in and day out is obviously like night and day.

I would definitely feel wierd talking with women about their vaginas, but that's just me. And I'm pretty sure my girlfriend would feel awkward if I were an ob/gyn. Yeah, she would undertstand it's strictly professional, but I know it would bother her and could potentially cause underlying problems. At least these are a few things I had in mind.

Aside from these issues, I think ob/gyn would be great. Working in a women's hospital all day is a great time for the most part. The entire atmosphere is 100% different than pretty much any other hospital. People are happy to be there, they're having babies, everything is wonderful, etc. Obviously this isn't always the case, but it's a way better vibe than any other hospital I have been in.

Also, as someone said there is a lot more than just looking at vagina all day to ob/gyn. You say you're interested in fetal development, so it's not like you'd be a typical gyno checking it out all day.

 

[Felix]

Yes. No exceptions.

 

[coralfangs]

Ya, I am not worried about the male-biased lawsuits regarding ob/gyn practice because most of the ob/gyn lawsuits I've read about are childbirth lawsuits.
However, I am actually worried about the amount of patients I'll be getting.

Of the urologists I've known over the decades, all have been heterosexual and the men have been very dignified.

On the subject of ob-gyns: I've been a patient of both male and female gynecologists and I have good and bad experiences with both. Most women prefer female gynecologists for primary care services. When someone is sick, they want a qualified person regardless of sex/gender. For that reason, I think that men who want to go into ob-gyn do well do specialize in maternal fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology, etc.

On the subject of lawsuits: obstetricians are lawsuit magnets given the high risk nature of childbirth. I doubt that sex/gender makes a difference but a man who goes into OB is going to be at risk for suits (compared with other specialties) thus the warnings from some of the posters here.

 

[coralfangs]

No. It's not weird. It is weird, however, for a guy to describe himself as "tipsy." Dude, that's a word for old ladies or sorority sisters. If you would drink, then get drunk...for God's sake, anything but "tipsy."

Oh, and grow up. There is nothing naughty about OB/Gyn and no need to sexualize any aspect of medicine.

It's NOT a matter of sexualizing an aspect of medicine but as many posters describe, it is hard nowadays for women to open up to male gyn given the choices of female ob/gyn. Yes, it used to be okay because it was a male-dominated field but many friends said it would be weird for them to see a young male ob/gyn, especially for someone like me with a baby face (I look 18....., a few of the doctors during a meeting actually assumed I was shadowing one of their colleagues and assumed I was a freshman). They thought I'd be a great ob/gyn too if it wasn't for my face and they feel comfortable discussing their women's issues with me (no, I'm NOT gay as some of you have PMed for that, it's not cool to ask that imo)
A lot of women do feel comfortable w/ older male gyn but what would be the future for a male ob/gyn wanna be when there is increasing number of female ob/gyn around?
I think it's the same for men with young female urologists. When I was working at the VA in Canada, the old men REFUSED to be seen by young female urologists.



Now, I have another question.
How hard is it to get a fellowship in MFM after ob/gyn?
What if you have finished residency but fail to obtain a spot in one of the more specialized areas?

 

[Law2Doc]

I would definitely feel wierd talking with women about their vaginas, but that's just me.

You will be talking with people about their genitalia in a lot of the medical specialties. You will do it pretty regularly in med school, and not just in the OBGYN rotation, although that will be the primary focus in that rotation. But expect to at least ask about reproductive organ health issues in eg medicine, or with older female patients in peds, or in terms of lesions and ulcers in things like derm. By the time you are done with third year, you won't feel weird talking with women about their vaginas. you will not feel weird talking to men about their erections. You will not feel weird talking to people about stooling habits or urination. Medicine is a field where you are not only allowed, but expected, to ask about things that the general population doesn't otherwise share in polite conversation.

And your gf will have to get over any concerns regarding what you do as a physician. You will be examining men and women pretty regularly and extensively, whether you plan to go into OBGYN or not.

 

[smq123]

A lot of women do feel comfortable w/ older male gyn but what would be the future for a male ob/gyn wanna be when there is increasing number of female ob/gyn around?

I sent you a PM.

How hard is it to get a fellowship in MFM after ob/gyn?
What if you have finished residency but fail to obtain a spot in one of the more specialized areas?

MFM isn't that competitive - but I can't vouch for what's going to happen in the next 8 years or so (i.e. before you can even start thinking about fellowships). OB/gyn is gradually getting more competitive - I think that the fellowships (particularly MFM and uro-gyn) are partly responsible for that.

If you don't get a spot in a fellowship, then you just keep practicing as a general ob/gyn. You can apply again the following year.

 

[etf]

i'm a male, and have also thought of going into ob/gyn. in a way it seems like the best of both worlds; you get to provide tangible results and get relatively quick results as a surgeon, and you also get to have a longer relationship with the patient than if you were just cutting her up.

 

[Quix]

Is it weird for guys to go into ob/gyn?

Only if they bring popcorn or full-body paint.

 

[Perrotfish]

Is it possible to go into Ob without going into Gyn? Are all residencies Ob and Gyn? Are there any practicing full time obstetricians out there? Does it even make sense that someone could be just an Ob?

 

[Law2Doc]

Is it possible to go into Ob without going into Gyn? Are all residencies Ob and Gyn? Are there any practicing full time obstetricians out there? Does it even make sense that someone could be just an Ob?

Absolutely, but not during school or training. You start out OBGYN, and during the residency you tend to rotate back and forth between L&D, clinic, and GYN/ONC surgery. Once done, you can go into private practice doing any of those. Lots of people have different people as their gynecologists and obstetricians; both will have gone through the same initial training. You can also deliver babies as an FP, if you do the requisite training, so there are several paths if obstetrics is your goal.

 

[Perrotfish]

Is it possible to go into OB as a fellowship from IM, rather than through an OBGYN residency?

 

[smq123]

Is it possible to go into OB as a fellowship from IM, rather than through an OBGYN residency?

As far as I know, no. You can go through family medicine into an OB fellowship. But not internal medicine.

 

[lex]

It is okay for men to go into OB/GYN. I know some women who prefer having male OB/GYN doctors. It is nothing sexual but I do not understand why either. Maybe it is the same feeling men would rather have female doctors do their physicals (pants off, of course) than male doctors.

Personally, OB/GYN is a specialty that I won't go into. I can't stand looking at vaginas all day.. your mom is right... it's weird. Let's face it, not all of them are nice and shaven like those Playboy models. Yes, yes, we are all professionals here. But looking at unkempt or unsightly 'ginas makes me want to throw up. And I don't want to deal with potential lawsuits... But, well, if you're as good looking as Richard Gere (I forgot the title of the movie), that's good for business. 😀

 

[smq123]

Personally, OB/GYN is a specialty that I won't go into.

This is just a personal pet peeve, but why is it that whenever someone asks a question about the field of OB/gyn, people feel compelled to say, "Well, I wouldn't do it. It's fine for other people, but I wouldn't go into it." 😕 Is that really a necessary caveat? Who cares what you will and won't go into? Is it really that germane to the discussion?

(This is not just at you, lex - I've noticed a lot of people doing it on other threads. Unless it WAS you each of those times! )

I can't stand looking at vaginas all day.. your mom is right... it's weird. Let's face it, not all of them are nice and shaven like those Playboy models. Yes, yes, we are all professionals here. But looking at unkempt or unsightly 'ginas makes me want to throw up.

Maybe you just haven't had your "disgusting" tolerance level tested yet, but even unkempt vaginas aren't that bad. There are far worse things in medicine.

For instance - Diabetic feet? SOOOO much worse. We had a patient on the floor who had poorly controlled diabetes. He got a couple of ulcers on his feet. One morning, the podiatrist came by to change the bandages. When he unwrapped the old bandage (which was soaking full of pus, by the way - the room literally REEKED of necrotic skin), the little toe fell off. It literally pulled away with the bandage as the podiatrist lifted the bandage off. Give me an unkempt vagina anyday over THAT.

I also kind of don't like how the Ertapenem reps come by with those huge posters of diabetic foot ulcers, and insist on showing them to you while you eat lunch. But, again, it could be worse.

 

[Gut Shot]

Well, response from my mom was, "it's weird for you to look at vagina everyday"

In all seriousness, it's weird to do practically everything in medicine. Think about an appendectomy, for instance. We're going to induce a deep, fake sleep in someone so they can't feel us opening their abdominal cavity and removing a superfluous and potentially lethal intestinal diversion. Trust me, your abdominal cavity was never meant to be exposed to air and light, but we're going to do it anyways. Then we're going to sew you up, wake you up and ask you twice a day if you've farted. No kidding.

Fortunately, the human mind is capable of becoming desensitized to practically anything. Long before you hit a thousand speculum exams you won't find vagina any more shocking than the menu at Arby's.

 

[smq123]

In all seriousness, it's weird to do practically everything in medicine. Think about an appendectomy, for instance. We're going to induce a deep, fake sleep in someone so they can't feel us opening their abdominal cavity and removing a superfluous and potentially lethal intestinal diversion. Trust me, your abdominal cavity was never meant to be exposed to air and light, but we're going to do it anyways. Then we're going to sew you up, wake you up and ask you twice a day if you've farted. No kidding.

👍

Excellent point.

 

[Quix]

There are far worse things in medicine.

Three personal favorites of mine (all from behavioral health):

1) The woman who became a scatophage when she felt she wasn't getting enough attention (I can't look at a Van **** / goatee anymore without thinking about her).
2) The HIV positive homeless guy who dropped about three pounds of feces on the floor while standing in the hallway getting his vital signs checked by a coworker.
3) The Hep C positive diabetic with partially amputated feet who never used the wheelchair we provided, and would leave Hep C tracks footprints up and down the hallway carpeting.

 

[lex]

Maybe you just haven't had your "disgusting" tolerance level tested yet, but even unkempt vaginas aren't that bad. There are far worse things in medicine.

For instance - Diabetic feet? SOOOO much worse. We had a patient on the floor who had poorly controlled diabetes. He got a couple of ulcers on his feet. One morning, the podiatrist came by to change the bandages. When he unwrapped the old bandage (which was soaking full of pus, by the way - the room literally REEKED of necrotic skin), the little toe fell off. It literally pulled away with the bandage as the podiatrist lifted the bandage off. Give me an unkempt vagina anyday over THAT.

I also kind of don't like how the Ertapenem reps come by with those huge posters of diabetic foot ulcers, and insist on showing them to you while you eat lunch. But, again, it could be worse.

Haha.. yeah, my tolerance level is yet to be tested. I've never seen diabetic feet with a toe falling off but I've seen too many vaginas when I was younger. My aunt was an OB/GYN and I used to, well, help out. One thing that crossed my mind when I saw lots of specula lying around: gross! (and herpes, and other STDs come to mind). Not too mention that musty smell during inspection.

But you are right, there are far worse conditions than healthy unkempt ginas.

 

[Quix]

I nearly forgot a favorite pre-med moment. We were in the BIO II lab doing the chicken egg practical; we cracked open the egg to examine the embryo at a few weeks development and a pre-med girl was thoroughly disgusted. At that moment, I thought to myself, "Dear Jebus, please admit her to medical school, so that I may make popcorn and watch her in gross anatomy and performing her first disimpaction."

 

[NY Musicologist]

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/the-not-so-private-lives-of-doctors/

This is a link to a blog entry in the New York Times about doctor bloggers. The entry itself doesn't pertain to the question of male gynos, but the third or fourth reader left a comment asking why men go into this field, and several dozen people (including male OB/GYNs and female urologists) chimed in. Worth a read.

 

[smq123]

I nearly forgot a favorite pre-med moment. We were in the BIO II lab doing the chicken egg practical; we cracked open the egg to examine the embryo at a few weeks development and a pre-med girl was thoroughly disgusted. At that moment, I thought to myself, "Dear Jebus, please admit her to medical school, so that I may make popcorn and watch her in gross anatomy and performing her first disimpaction."

I haven't had to disimpact anyone yet. My senior resident on internal med kept joking about it, though.

One of the patients on our service was really, really constipated - I mean, 5 days without going to the bathroom. We were afraid that she was going to perf her bowel, literally.

We were throwing all kinds of things at her - colace, senna, dulcolax, anything. None of them were working. We finally resorted to the "big guns" (= mag citrate AND glycerin suppositories, which will, supposedly, make anything that is alive go to the bathroom). My senior resident said to me, "You know, if these things don't work, we'll have to get that stool out of her SOMEHOW, or else she might perf." And then he crooked his finger and made a hooking motion - miming a manual disimpaction. Throughout the day, every time he saw me, he'd crook his finger and make a hooking motion.

Fortunately, the glycerin suppositories did the trick. She had 5 big bowel movements that day. 😀

 

[Quix]

I haven't had to disimpact anyone yet. My senior resident on internal med kept joking about it, though.

One of the patients on our service was really, really constipated - I mean, 5 days without going to the bathroom. We were afraid that she was going to perf her bowel, literally.

We were throwing all kinds of things at her - colace, senna, dulcolax, anything. None of them were working. We finally resorted to the "big guns" (= mag citrate AND glycerin suppositories, which will, supposedly, make anything that is alive go to the bathroom). My senior resident said to me, "You know, if these things don't work, we'll have to get that stool out of her SOMEHOW, or else she might perf." And then he crooked his finger and made a hooking motion - miming a manual disimpaction. Throughout the day, every time he saw me, he'd crook his finger and make a hooking motion.

Fortunately, the glycerin suppositories did the trick. She had 5 big bowel movements that day. 😀

I love mag citrate. And it has nothing to do with the fact that it tastes like ginger ale and can lead to hilarity involving unsuspecting coworkers.

 

[Chuckwalla]

Personally, I think everyone should stay away from OB/GYN. The high malpractice rates, terrible hours (long and unpredictable), and high stress make it far from desirable. That said men in particular should stay away.

On top of the problems all OB/GYNs face men have to deal with the fact that women prefer female OB/GYNs. Men have harder time finding jobs and are often forced to go into undesirable areas. They are also sometimes fired in favor of a female OB/GYN. And of course there is the stigma it is weird.

There is a thread about this in the OB/GYN forum if you want to know more.

 

[smsc2009]

Is it possible to go into OB as a fellowship from IM, rather than through an OBGYN residency?

Absolutely; however, you do not go from IM. After medical school you enter a FP residency. Once you complete your residency in Family Practice medicine you can choose to do an only OB fellowship.

 

[Chuckwalla]

Absolutely; however, you do not go from IM. After medical school you enter a FP residency. Once you complete your residency in Family Practice medicine you can choose to do an only OB fellowship.

Keep in mind that family practice is falling by the wayside. FP's who do OB are even rarer. If you want to do FP along with OB you will probably be restricted to a very rural community.

 

[Law2Doc]

Men have harder time finding jobs and are often forced to go into undesirable areas. They are also sometimes fired in favor of a female OB/GYN.

Patient preferences certainly are gradually changing, but actually the departments tend to actively encourage male med students to go into OBGYN because there is still more demand for male doctors in that field than folks going into the field, and a drastic shortage of OBGYNs of either sex in general, so I kind of doubt they are getting fired for gender reasons or being forced to undesirable areas. This shouldn't be part of your analysis in terms of going into the field. You will have no problem getting into the field, finding a job coming from a US allo school. This is one of the specialties (along with FP) where you will see a fairly large importing of offshore students because inadequate numbers of US students are choosing it. There are a ton of negatives (litigation, being odd man out in what is becoming a girls' club, long hours), but what you are describing above aren't the real issues at all.

 

[Law2Doc]

Keep in mind that family practice is falling by the wayside. FP's who do OB are even rarer. If you want to do FP along with OB you will probably be restricted to a very rural community.

The latter part of your statement I agree with. The FPs who do OB tend to practice in areas where there simply aren't OBs. But FP sure isn't falling by the wayside. Primary care is the component of medicine most in demand, and continues to have the majority of residency slots. Decreasing reimbursements and longer hours are making FP less popular with some US allo med students, but it's false to say that FP is "falling by the wayside". This will be the area seeing the most growth under virtually every proposed healthcare plan, because it represents cost effective medicine.

 

[drlisa0318]

Personally, I have no problem at all with a male ob/gyn. I've been to only one female ob/gyn (she was an infertility specialist.) All the rest have been men. Nowadays, my fp takes care of my gyn visits. And the fact that HE no longer delivers babies isn't a problem for me - at my age, there's NO WAY I'm having another baby!

 

[SilkyDelicious]

You will be talking with people about their genitalia in a lot of the medical specialties. You will do it pretty regularly in med school, and not just in the OBGYN rotation, although that will be the primary focus in that rotation. But expect to at least ask about reproductive organ health issues in eg medicine, or with older female patients in peds, or in terms of lesions and ulcers in things like derm. By the time you are done with third year, you won't feel weird talking with women about their vaginas. you will not feel weird talking to men about their erections. You will not feel weird talking to people about stooling habits or urination. Medicine is a field where you are not only allowed, but expected, to ask about things that the general population doesn't otherwise share in polite conversation.

And your gf will have to get over any concerns regarding what you do as a physician. You will be examining men and women pretty regularly and extensively, whether you plan to go into OBGYN or not.

I totally understand what you're saying. I guess to kinda clarify, even like the OP hinted at, he kinda has a babyface or whatever he said, and I'm in the same boat. It's not so much that I would feel wierd, it's more that women, especially older women might be a little awkward talking about these issues with a younger looking guy. And obviously as physicians there is nothing sexual about the work we do, but in the real world, especially nowadays there can be a very fine line. Even outside of Ob/gyn men seeing younger women patients sometimes bring in a female PA/nurse just to avoid any possibility of suspicion.

And obviously my gf understands, it's just that people outside of the medical community think ob/gyn = vagina. As a female, would you like telling your friends your husband is a ob/gyn... I can just picture that on an episode of Sex and the City.

These are all just examples of issues I've considered because as I said, I do really like the women's hospital I work in and seriously consider ob/gyn as a field I may want to go into. And as for this:

Men have harder time finding jobs and are often forced to go into undesirable areas. They are also sometimes fired in favor of a female OB/GYN.

I'm going to have to disagree. I'm in weekly meetings with one of the biggest Ob/gyn groups in the country (UPMC) and they definitely imply that they are looking for good male practitioners because it is becoming a female dominated field. If anything men are at an advantage I'd say from my experience.

 

[Kaustikos]

The latter part of your statement I agree with. The FPs who do OB tend to practice in areas where there simply aren't OBs. But FP sure isn't falling by the wayside. Primary care is the component of medicine most in demand, and continues to have the majority of residency slots. Decreasing reimbursements and longer hours are making FP less popular with some US allo med students, but it's false to say that FP is "falling by the wayside". This will be the area seeing the most growth under virtually every proposed healthcare plan, because it represents cost effective medicine.

They're called NP's. Walmart, Walgreens and CVS are getting the idea right and starting to go to them for anything FP related. And I'm not saying right as in med students are stupid, but NP are handling the burden/demand for FP's or PCP's. 👍

 

[Chuckwalla]

The latter part of your statement I agree with. The FPs who do OB tend to practice in areas where there simply aren't OBs. But FP sure isn't falling by the wayside. Primary care is the component of medicine most in demand, and continues to have the majority of residency slots. Decreasing reimbursements and longer hours are making FP less popular with some US allo med students, but it's false to say that FP is "falling by the wayside". This will be the area seeing the most growth under virtually every proposed healthcare plan, because it represents cost effective medicine.

Yes, primary care is in demand as in internal medicine and pediatrics. But it seems as if Family Practice as specialty itself is falling by the wayside. Duke closed their FP residency recently, I feel this is something that will continue.

I agree with Kaustikos about NP's and such. Even though primary care physicians are in high demand now, they will eventually be pushed out by NP's and PA's. It is all about cutting costs in the American health care system. As time goes on it appears specialization is the way to go.

 

[Chuckwalla]

Patient preferences certainly are gradually changing, but actually the departments tend to actively encourage male med students to go into OBGYN because there is still more demand for male doctors in that field than folks going into the field, and a drastic shortage of OBGYNs of either sex in general, so I kind of doubt they are getting fired for gender reasons or being forced to undesirable areas. This shouldn't be part of your analysis in terms of going into the field. You will have no problem getting into the field, finding a job coming from a US allo school. This is one of the specialties (along with FP) where you will see a fairly large importing of offshore students because inadequate numbers of US students are choosing it. There are a ton of negatives (litigation, being odd man out in what is becoming a girls' club, long hours), but what you are describing above aren't the real issues at all.

I have read stories about the instances I have described. Anecdotal but this study backs them up.

http://www.ajog.org/article/PIIS0002937807009040/abstract

Based on gender alone women overwhelmingly chose female OB/GYN's. With this preference it makes sense that employers will prefer female OB/GYN's.