Rachel sees one of the men from earlier talking to a woman seated at the entrance. After he goes in the woman motions for Rachel to approach. The woman says “Good morning, name and date of birth please.” Rachel replies “Rachel Morgan. June 27, 1986.” The nurse, looking at a tablet, says “Okay, I see you right here. Fill out these forms, then return them to the nurse over there”, she hands Rachel a clipboard with forms and a pen attached while pointing to a nurse seated at a nearby table.

Rachel has a seat in the makeshift waiting area and fills out the forms. They are standard health history and questionnaire forms. Flipping to the last page, Rachel doesn’t like the direction the questions are heading. Questions about her gynecological history, date of last Pap test, date her last period started, etc. Rachel has always been very healthy, so she quickly answers the questions. No pregnancies, no gynecological issues, her last period started almost two weeks ago. She hesitated about the Pap test question. She had a physical with her doctor almost a year ago, the doctor didn’t include a Pap test because she wasn’t due for one. Her doctor told her that she will be due for one at her next physical, which she has scheduled for next month. Her doctor also mentioned that she will be due for her first mammogram. Rachel recently got a reminder to schedule it, her appointment for her first mammogram is in two weeks. She writes down the date of her last Pap, June of 2023. Rachel is hoping that one will not be included today! She is thinking that this physical will just be a cursory one, maybe just vitals and a quick steth of her heart and lungs over her dress. Maybe a urine sample and blood draw. She has had employment related physicals before, she never had to disrobe, maybe this will be similar? Rachel laments the fact that she has this completely unexpected physical today, with no knowledge of how thorough it will be, in addition to her first mammogram in two weeks, plus her annual physical that will definitely include a full pelvic with a Pap a month from now.

Rachel brings the forms to the nurse. She looks through them and says “These look to be in order, have a seat and someone will come get you for a urine sample and blood draw.” As Rachel leaves she sees the nurse scan the forms to upload onto a laptop.

Rachel doesn’t wait long, a nurse calls her name. Rachel follows the nurse to the hallway to a women’s bathroom. She has Rachel provide an unsupervised urine sample. Then the nurse brings Rachel back to the cafeteria, to the far wall, where a blood draw station is set up. The nurse has Rachel remove her blazer, then the nurse draws three vials of blood. After bandaging her arm, the nurse has Rachel remove her heels. She has Rachel step up onto the scale by the wall. 130 pounds. The nurse has Rachel turn around and place her back against the scale, the nurse slides up the height scale then lowers it onto Rachel’s head. 5 feet 9 inches tall.

The nurse says “Okay, step down, you can put your shoes and blazer back on and have a seat back in the waiting area. A nurse will come get you and get you ready for your physical.” Rachel feels embarrassed, one of the two men from earlier is seated nearby, he obviously heard what the nurse said. The other man from earlier was already getting his physical. He went to one of the cubicles along the right hand wall. Rachel puts her heels back on, buckling the straps around each slender, shiny nylon covered ankle. She puts her blazer on and leaves it unbuttoned, and walks to the waiting area.

Rachel has a seat. She crosses her legs tightly, the hem of her dress rides several inches up her shiny suntan nylon covered thighs from sitting down. The bright overhead LED lights, combined with the bright sunlight streaming in through the skylights, makes her nylons look glossy, almost like her well toned thighs and chiseled calves are oiled up. She sees more new hires showing up, three more men and two women are going through what she just went through. A nurse calls the second man, he follows her to the cubicle next to the first man. As the conversations start blending in, Rachel can faintly hear the doctor tell the man in the first cubicle to lower his undershorts for a testicular exam and hernia check! Some more muffled words then she hears the man cough four different times. Then she hears the doctor tell the man that a rectal exam and prostate check are next! She hears the doctor instructing the man to turn around and lean over the exam table. She hears table paper crinkling. She hears the doctor tell him to take a deep breath and relax. A moment passes and more muffled conversation. A moment later, the doctor exits the cubicle and goes to a nearby sink, and washes his hands. Rachel hopes that there is a second doctor, a female, to perform the women’s exams! She has never had a pelvic exam performed by a male provider. She hopes even more so that a pelvic exam WILL NOT be a part of her physical today! The doctor enters the next cubicle where the second man is waiting. She notices the entrance to the exam cubicles have two curtains, so when the doctor and nurse enter and leave, the second inner curtain provides privacy so no one can see in. At least no one will be able to see her in her cubicle when her time comes, Rachel thinks to herself.

Rachel’s mind is racing. If the man, who looked to be around her age, had a full genital and rectal exam, will the doctor also give her a full pelvic and rectal? She is mortified at the thought that a rectal exam could be included as a part of her physical. She has never had a rectal exam! Before Rachel can think about it any further, a nurse calls her name. Rachel follows the nurse to the cubicles along the left wall. At least it appears the women will have their own cubicles on the opposite wall from the men’s!