Exam with Female doctor

I just changed doctors and apparently first I have to have a physical before I can see her regularly. I am a healthy 19 year old male and I haven't seen a doctor in almost 4 years now. I am nervous about having a female doctor, at my age what should I expect from the exam?

You should expect a thorough exam. That includes all of the usual parts: eyes, ears, nose, throat, listening to your chest (steth), abdominal exam, reflexes (maybe), ortho and joints (maybe). At 19, you should also receive a thorough testicular exam and a hernia (cough) test. You're not likely to receive a rectal or prostate exam, unless you have some complaints in that area.

Most importantly: Don't be nervous about it -- have fun and enjoy the experience. Having a nice female doctor handle you is an experience that should be savored!

I'm 20 and at my last exam I had:

eyes, ears, nose, throat

listening to my chest on front and back quite thoroughly - about 6 different places on my front whilst deep breathing/holding breath.

abdominal exam and the doctor tapping my chest all over

reflexes on my elbows, knees and ankles

testicular exam, hernia check, exam of penis including having my foreskin pulled back and some sort of development check where she noted testicle size and pubic hair distribution.

Is there anything I could say that might get her to give me a rectal exam?

Just relax and just go to the 1st exam . and then later on complain your uncomfortable going to the bathroom .

that will give you the rectal exam !!

I have an exam this next Monday morning with the NP. I'm a 50 yo male and know that I will have the works. The last time I had an exam by her, her asst did not give me the usual cover nor did she tell me to get undressed, so when the NP cam in she was a bit aghast that I wasn't ready. I told her to just start asking the needed questions and I would take off my shirt. Eventually she had me lay down on the table to palpate my stomach when she asked if she could undo my trousers and check my lower abdomen. Well, down came the pants and she not only checked the lower abdomen but my penis, scrotum and testicles as well. She had me stand to do a hernia check but she had me lay on my left side, with my knees up in my chest to check my prostate. I can't wait for this one. I am already hard just thinking about it.

[quote author=alexkrychek link=topic=33659.msg299020#msg299020 date=1276833820]

I am nervous about having a female doctor, at my age what should I expect from the exam?

[/quote]

At your age you should expect to become sexually aroused during the examination, and you should not be surprised if you become fully erect by the time the doctor looks at your genitalia. You may feel embarrassed by this but it is a perfectly normal reaction.

Once you have been examined enough times by female doctors, this will no longer be an issue.

"Once you have been examined enough times by female doctors, this will no longer be an issue."

Just wanted to agree with this... When I had my first physical with my current doctor (a woman), nearly 10 years ago, it was a big deal being naked around her. Now, it almost feels as normal as it does being naked around my wife.

You get used to it.

Yes, you get used to it. And they get used to you. The first time I got an erection when being examined by a woman doctor I was close to terrified. But she was quite cool and relaxed about it. It still happens with my PCP and she is still calm, relaxed and almost a bit amused by it. Frankly, that impresses me a great deal, and greatly increases my confidence in her abilities. Recently, I asked her about it, for the first time really. She said, "Oh, that's nothing unusual and certainly nothing to worry about. It's actually a good sign. You are healthy, especially at your age." Then she chuckled. She's right of course. But as I said, she's also impressive.

Thanks HumblePatient and Al C. for making excellent points.

My previous doctor was nearly my age and I was in fact as comfortable being naked in her exam room as I am at home with my wife. She did not bother with gowns, normally I had only a paper drape or my undershorts for the physical and that was fine.

With my current doctor it is a bit different since she is much younger, but I have not had an erection during her exams either. If I did I would not be embarrassed and I'm sure she would think it normal. Her nurse gives me a paper gown, which I don't much like, but I respect that it's for maintaining the doctor's comfort level.

Just had the exam today.

I was so nervous beforehand that when the nurse took my blood pressure she told me it was abnormally high. Once I met the doctor I relaxed right away, she was young and very nice. The exam was much less awkward and uncomfortable than with a male doctor even though I got an erection while she was handling my testicles. What I have read around here is true female doctors are much better. She took her time during the exam, stayed to answer my questions after and seemed much more concerned with my health.

The good news is that I get to go back in a few weeks to have my blood pressure rechecked. I always hated male doctors but I can't wait to go back, I'm wondering how I can convince her to examine more of me.

[quote author=alexkrychek link=topic=33659.msg299369#msg299369 date=1277088715]

The exam was much less awkward and uncomfortable than with a male doctor even though I got an erection while she was handling my testicles.

[/quote]

Congratulations! Sounds like you were in good hands...lol.

But you may have to wait a while before you have another full monty exam.

Glad it went well! It sounds like it was rather fun.

I went to a pediatrician until i was 17. It was typically undress to underwear and sit on the table. The last couple of years i got to leave my pants on as well. At 18 I went to an adult GP for the first time. I just had to remove my shirt. When it came time for the genital exam i was lying on the table and he had me undo my pants and lower them. This was a bit awkward, I would have preferred to stand up to do this the way the pediatrician did it.

Just a quick side note here: For most of my life I went to male doctors (a sexist thing on my part, I guess...). Now I go almost exclusively to female doctors (even my dentist is a woman). In retrospect, it almost seems to me that when it comes to gender stereotypes, we got this one backwards. Women are normally considered to be much more suited (speaking to stereotypes here) towards nurturing and care-giving professions than men. Yet, the stereotype is that the typical doctor is a male. I'm being sexist (I know...), but I think it actually makes much more sense for women to be doctors than men. I think they are better suited for it psychologically and emotionally and more capable of giving not just health treatments, but true healthcare.

On a personal note, I also was always EXTREMELY uncomfortable with the idea of another guy handling my genitals. When I was little and the doctor got to the part of the exam where he asks you to drop your pants was always the moment that I most dreaded... All of that goes away with a female doctor though. It seems... normal... in a way that it never did before.

I guess my point here is that, even aside from the medical fetish idea of having a woman examine me (which does turn me on), the profession of being a doctor seems a lot more feminine by nature to me now than it used to.

I been examined by both male and female doctors, including genital and ore lately anal examination.

I don't choose which doctor is going to examine me and I'm often only given their surname, so until I enter the examination room I don't know whether the doctor is male or female.

I'm happy to be examined by both sexes, and don't have a preference.