Pelvic and Rectal Exams Required to do Residency?!

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epilido

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Anyone else required to get a pelvic and/or rectal exam as part of the pre-residency physical??

Seems weird to me...wondering if other programs do this too.
 
Now that's weird. Never heard that one before... 🙁
 
nope. never heard of it. are you female? did you get the physical done by your own doctor? maybe s/he was doing it thinking that you may not have time to get a pap/pelvic during residency? if it wasn't your doctor then that is a bit....weird.

there was something here in ny recently about a lawsuit -- several women had pelvic and breasts exams performed as part of a pre-employment physical and it turns out they were completely unnecessary. it was just a couple of docs getting some sick kicks....
 
Yes, I'm female. No, this isn't my doctor getting his kicks; this is my residency REQUIRING a speculum and rectal exam.
 
wow! 😱

our employee health definitely doesn't require that. i mean, i know they have to make sure that you don't have any physical impairment that can interfere with your ability to care for patients but what a gyn exam would have to do with that i dunno....
 
My residency is requiring a fairly extensive exam as well (although the pelvic and rectal were listed as optional on the form) and for some bizzare reason they also want to know my cholesterol.

It seems inappropriate to me. I understand that they would want to know if I was "fit for duty" so to speak, but the details of my health history or exam findings is none of their business. (can you say HIPPA). Allegedly, this form will stay on file with the univeristy health service, but still I'm uncomfortable with the level of detail. I'm thinking of making some inquires when I arrive and see if that policy cant' be changed. A letter from one's own physcian saying you can do the job should be more than sufficient.
 
I still havent gotten over the fact that as a physician I need to submit a urine sample for tox testing. When I started rotations we were patted down to make sure we werent sneaking in a bottle of urine!! Now if some PA working in the occupation health clinic wants to put a finger in my butt he better be ready to bend over and let me return the favor.
 
Originally posted by soon2bdoc2003
I still havent gotten over the fact that as a physician I need to submit a urine sample for tox testing. When I started rotations we were patted down to make sure we werent sneaking in a bottle of urine!!
Click to expand...

physicians are notorious druggies, didn't you know that!?!

not only patted down, but at our employee health the specimen container has a built in thermometer and they correlate it with your own temperature!
 
I don't mind the drug screen, but now I'm getting more uncomfortable with them wanting my health history and such. You want my immunization record? Sure, no problem, I'll even give copies of my titers. BUT A PELVIC????
 
That's weird. I guess I could understand your new health insurance provider asking you to provide proof that you have undergone a timely screening Pap smear as per recommendations for someone your age. There ain't a whole lot going on in the rectum of an otherwise healthy, asymptomatic person in his 20s, so the rectal exam seems a bit of a stretch. Who knows...
 
The thing is, the residency program doesn't require a PAP, just a "speculum exam". And they certainly aren't paying for any of this. I have to see my own doctor, and pay the bill (or at the very least, the copay).
 
I think your program is just trying to get you used to getting f***** and taking it up the a**.

What the...did I just say that? Bad resident...bad WS!
 
My program just asked for a statement from a doctor stating that the resident was in adequate health to perform required duties. I also had to provide proof of immunization (including varicella titer and hep B.)

I was curious, however, about whether they could refuse to hire you if you had something significant in your health history? For example, a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer during medical school and was treated successfully. She actually graduated on time and went on to do well in an OB/GYN residency.

I could imagine that physical issues would be more significant in the more physically active specialties like surgery, OB, and the surgical subspecialties. If a person did have a health issue in the distant past that was now resolved (like cancer,) could a program choose not to employ them because of perceived possible poor health in the future?

However, I'm guessing that these physicals are more for life/health insurance and not really things that program directors are seeking.
 
Originally posted by womansurg
I think your program is just trying to get you used to getting f***** and taking it up the a**.

What the...did I just say that? Bad resident...bad WS!
Click to expand...

LOL- so maybe since my program doesn't require a pelvic or rectal, it'll be cush! 😀
 
weird... my program hasnt even asked for a piss test....
 
Originally posted by Dr. SS
weird... my program hasnt even asked for a piss test....
Click to expand...

I've heard that county hospitals absolutely require them but at private hospitals its at the discretion of the institution. I don't know if there's any validity to that.

mike
 
Originally posted by womansurg
There ain't a whole lot going on in the rectum of an otherwise healthy, asymptomatic person in his 20s, so the rectal exam seems a bit of a stretch. Who knows...
Click to expand...

I love puns :laugh:
 
Originally posted by womansurg
I think your program is just trying to get you used to getting f***** and taking it up the a**.

What the...did I just say that? Bad resident...bad WS!
Click to expand...

Holy s$*t!!! I just blew milk through my nose!

But really ladies... what's the big deal anyway? A pelvic? Woopee. You get 'em done once a year anyway. Why are you guys being so squeamish all of a sudden?
 
The big deal is that it's none of my residency's business what ANY of my medical history physical exam findings are (pelvic, rectal or other). I got a form that I have to have filled out and submit to my residency with detailed medical history and physical exam findings (though in my case, the pelivc is optional). And, no we are not REQUIRED to have a pelvic exam every year, it is merely recommened (and there is some controversy as to the ideal frequency) but in this country it is up to the individudual to decide if one wants to follow the recommendations.

Neither is it any of your program's business what your medical history or the physical exam findings (including testicular exam, hernia exam or rectal exam) are.

I agree that they have a right to drug test (with chain of custody and checking to make sure we aren't sneaking in a clean sample) and ask for immunization record. I also agree that they would have a right to a letter from our personal physician saying we are "fit for duty". But the details are private information and NO ONE, male or female, should be required to submit a detailed H&P form to their employer.

In fact, the more I think about it, the more it bothers me. If your program was doing it, the invasion of privacy should bother you too.

What if they got the information and said, "sorry, based on your medical history or physical exam we are withdrawing our offer of a position"?
 
Kudos to womansurg!:clap:
I nearly lost continence of bladder and bowels as I read the post regarding the insight as to why speculum and rectal exams are necessary.

I think that these would be excellent topics for discussion on the interview trail. I will have to incorporate this line of questioning into my arsenal of inquiry.

I don't know why they would need this type of exam but who knows these days...

Thanks to womansurg for the great laugh! She should win "post of the month" or something like that.

:laugh:
 
Originally posted by hemoccult
Thanks to womansurg for the great laugh! :laugh:
Click to expand...
Even a blind hen finds a kernel sometimes... 😉
 
In the state of New York,hospitals are required to obtain health data including medical history,medications etc from physicians seeing patints in their hospital.Without this documentation staff priviliges will not be granted.Usually a form from the physicians PMD is sufficient and pap/rectal is not needed.
It is likely that laws requiring reporting of physician medical history will only increase in the US because of legal concerns about potentially infectious diseases and mental health issues/substance abuse.
 
So just bend over and crack a smile😎
 
Hmmm...I find this requirement rather disturbing. And not the least the fact that you are required to pay for it out of pocket. Never heard of anything more detailed than tox screen, antibody titres, etc.

What happens if you refuse to have the exams (especially if you have record of a normal exam recently [a Pap will include the spec exam])? Will they refuse to hire you? Me smells a class action suit here! 😀
 
Actually, I asked what would happen if I refused the pelvic and rectal exams, and the director of GME was dumbfounded. She said no one had ever brought this up before. (Ack! Who are these sheep residents!??)

After several emails back and forth, she finally "suggested" I get the physical, sans pelvic and rectal, and they'd either OK it, or we could deal with it when I get there.

Whatever....
 
Originally posted by epilido
Actually, I asked what would happen if I refused the pelvic and rectal exams, and the director of GME was dumbfounded. She said no one had ever brought this up before. (Ack! Who are these sheep residents!??)

After several emails back and forth, she finally "suggested" I get the physical, sans pelvic and rectal, and they'd either OK it, or we could deal with it when I get there.

Whatever....
Click to expand...

Sheeps indeed. Of course, there are always people out there who *enjoy* such exams...

Hard to believe no one has ever questioned it before...then again, such beliefs are probably what got me the reputation of always asking "why?" in med school! 😉
 
Originally posted by Kimberli Cox

PGY 2 (heck, make me a PGY-3 since all the newly matched are calling themselves nearly interns)
Department of Surgery
Penn State University
The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
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Match Day was over two months ago. Some residencies start their interns on June 9th. You must be on that backwoods PA time.

mike
 
June 9th? Why that's positively cruel.

Besides, even if I did consult my backwoods PA calendar, June 9th would still be at least 2 weeks away...meaning they AREN'T yet interns. Not IMHO - at least not until residency start date whenever that may be. Who cares when match day was...you'll always be medical students to me! 😉

But since you insist, I will change my sig file to read PGY-3. 😀
 
Originally posted by Kimberli Cox
June 9th? Why that's positively cruel.

Besides, even if I did consult my backwoods PA calendar, June 9th would still be at least 2 weeks away...meaning they AREN'T yet interns. Not IMHO - at least not until residency start date whenever that may be. Who cares when match day was...you'll always be medical students to me! 😉

But since you insist, I will change my sig file to read PGY-3. 😀
Click to expand...

You're anal just like a surgeon. I'm not a medical student, either. I have two initials after my name.

[I initially had a long sarcastic reply to this, but it wasn't too apparent in the re-read and I didn't want to start a flame war.]

mike
 
Originally posted by Annette
A flame war with Kimberli Cox? OHEHWHHEOOOOOOOOO!!!! Nice knowing you Mike!😛 :laugh:
Click to expand...

Puh-lease.

mike
 
Originally posted by mikecwru
You're anal just like a surgeon. I'm not a medical student, either. I have two initials after my name.

[I initially had a long sarcastic reply to this, but it wasn't too apparent in the re-read and I didn't want to start a flame war.]

mike
Click to expand...

Hey hey...no hard feelings please. I'm sorry if I ruffled some feathers. I KNOW you're not included in the above category of "not still a student, yet not quite an intern" I was simply referring to those who are.

Now if you could just get that two little letters behind your name(mikecwru, DC) changed to the appropriate ones, then things would be alright. 😉
 
I am also surprised that no one has questioned the required physical exam thing before.

I went ahead and got my form filled out (minus pelvic/rectal, which for my program was listed on the form as optional). I didn't want to risk raising any wrath on the front end.

Once I arrive at my program, however, I plan to pay a visit to the GME office and raise a polite ruckus. (hopfully the response will be positive and an lawsuit can be averted) Tox screen and antibody titres should be plenty for them to know.
 
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