Stripped to waist

Is it simply me, or is starting a physical topless a strange way to proceed?

Quite a few years ago, i went to an older doctor, in a solo practice and started out this way. The slacks, as we moved through the exam, became s nuisance.

One thing that it did help with was the mystery and the anxiety of what might happen.

Anyone else's thoughts?

That was the usual procedure at my pediatrician. If I remember correctly, after the nurse took me to the exam room she had me take off my shoes and shirt and then she'd weigh me. After that she had me get on the table and would take my temperature orally. I don't remember ever having my b.p. checked at that office. The female doctor would come in and proceed with her examination. After the abdominal exam, with me lying on the table, she would unfasten my belt and pants herself and feel my lower stomach and just above my genitals. That was the normal procedure most of the time there.

I've also been examined that way when I've been older by at least two other doctors that I can remember. When I was sick in college I went to the student health center and an older female doctor examined me that way. It was a sickness visit so it wasn't a physical and I never had to remove my pants for anything.

The other time I can remember was for a pre-employment physical with a middle aged male internist that was the company provided doctor. The nurse brought me back to the exam room and told me to take my shirt off and have a seat on the table. After some time the doctor came in, sat on his stool and talked to me for awhile, then began examining me. After the abdominal exam he told me, "Alright, stand up and drop 'em". I remember those words very clearly.

I've never really thought it was a nuisance in any way. It only takes a few seconds to unfasten and lower my pants and it still keeps some modesty. However, it is true that for me it does provide a good amount of uncertainty and anxiety, especially with an unknown doctor.

I was 22 and recently graduated from college with a BA degree. I had been accepted to graduate business school and needed a physical examination form completed for the university. I got the name of an internist from a family member and scheduled an appointment. I went to the appointment from a summer job I had at a bank so I showed up in a dress shirt and tie along with dress slacks and cap toe oxfords. The doctor had his office in a building with multiple other physicians who shared a common reception area. I checked in and waited anxiously since this was the first new doctor I had seen since age 11. The doctor came out with the patient he had just finished with and called my name. His portion of the office which he led me into was a private office with his desk and an examination room beyond this which was visible from his personal office space. He had me sit across from his desk, I handed him the form I had from the school, he glanced at the form and the history portion of it which I had completed. He told me to go into the next room, take my shirt off, and have a seat on the table. The table was a rather high flat top bench with an upholstered top with a table paper roll. There was a four legged step stool next to the table which was necessary to use to mount the table due to its height. I took off my shirt and set it on a side chair near the table and stepped up and sat down. The doctor came in and came over to me. He put the blood pressure cuff on me and took my pressure. He then did an exam of my eyes. He felt my neck and then listed to my heart and chest. Then he said "loosen the top of your pants and lie back." I was not exactly positive what he meant but I decided to unbuckle my belt, unhook the pants, and unzip about half way. I must have done what he wanted because he proceeded without a comment. He then stood over me and felt the abdomen. Then he took a step back and said "step up on the platform facing me and drop your pants AND (emphasized) shorts." The sick feeling hit my stomach since I know I am going to have to let a strange doctor see my penis for the first time. I was almost quivering as I stood on the stool and finished unzipping and then lowering the pants and my white briefs to about mid thigh. He said "turn your head and cough" twice and did not even touch me. Then he said "ok, we're done."

I thought it was an effective experience for someone who gets into embarrassment because the lack of undress at the beginning made it unclear how much of my body he was going to see. It was also awkward having to take down pants and shorts while perched on the step stool. It is always awkward to me having a clothes person look at my genitals

I have also thought in the aftermath of the exam about his use of the phrase “drop your pants AND shorts.” It made me think some guy in the past had just dropped his pants and left his shorts up when he said “drop your pants.” Regardless of the reason he used the phrase, I found it condescending and it added to the embarrassment of the moment.

Examdoc, I notice you never said that you were asked to remove your shoes and socks at any point. Given how you were formally dressed, I'd have found that super embarrassing, wearing dress shoes, but being naked from my legs upwards.

Examdoc, I notice you never said that you were asked to remove your shoes and socks at any point. Given how you were formally dressed, I'd have found that super embarrassing, wearing dress shoes, but being naked from my legs upwards.

You stated it accurately. I had dress shoes, socks, pants and belt, and white briefs on throughout the exam but just dropped the pants and briefs to expose my genitalia. It did make it extremely embarrassing because I felt so foolish.

It is not the usual way that my physicals had been but I had that experience a couple of times and it kind of made me wonder. I had one very brief physical exam years old where the nurse took me into the exam room and had me take off my shirt and sit on the exam table to wait for the doctor. The doctor came in and did the usual upper body checks and that was it. Nothing below the waist at all.

Similar experience with a dermatologist that I also saw years ago. Shirt off and that was it. And I was there for a skin check so it was weird that the doctor didn't check my skin below the waist. At the time I was relieved that I didn't have to get undressed but looking back I think that I didn't get a thorough exam and shouldn't have settled for that. My guess was that since I was still kind of young and didn't have moles or anything that he saw as a problem, he figured that he wouldn't find anything below my waist that wasn't showing from my waist up. I had some little spots on my chest that I wanted him to check which is why I went to see a dermatologist in the first place. He said that the spots were nothing and that I could put my shirt back on and check-out upfront. I don't remember him looking at my back even although it is possible that he might have. Maybe he was in a hurry, behind schedule for the day, or maybe he was a lousy dermatologist. I never went back to him as once he told me that the spots on my chest was nothing to worry about, I didn't see another dermatologist for years after that. The first time that I went back to a different dermatologist years later, I got the full "strip down completely and put on this gown" treatment. Which surprised me because I kind of expected a quick look at my upper body like I had before.

As a kid growing up, just about every doctor visit I had started with my shirt off. Even into my teens and twenties, I took it off, a lot of the time because thats whats I thought was expected of me. Even now, whenever I go see the doctor, I feel like its odd if I still have my shirt on when the doctor gets there.

Always had to take off my shirt when I was taken to our GP. Usually had my chest listened to and tapped on, as I only ever had appointments for respiratory issues. As an adult I've taken my top off at my GP and work medicals, but more often than not I lift the front or back as opposed to removing my top altogether.

As a kid growing up, just about every doctor visit I had started with my shirt off. Even into my teens and twenties, I took it off, a lot of the time because thats whats I thought was expected of me. Even now, whenever I go see the doctor, I feel like its odd if I still have my shirt on when the doctor gets there.

As a kid, when I was taken to the doctors when I was ill my parents were always asked to take my top off (as a minimum) when the doctor wanted to listen to me. As an adult until a few years ago I was only asked to lift my shirt but over the past few years I've been asked to take my shirt off. It's now just an automatic reaction that I'll take my shirt off when they say they want to listen to my chest/tummy even if they haven't specifically asked me to do that.

Growing up, all visits started with me stripped down to my undershirt and underwear (later bra and underwear once I turned 10). Now it depends on who I'm seeing and why, but if I need to undress, I just undress at the beginning and put on a paper gown.

I suspect that doctor preferences have changed due to increasing sensitivity to how far to have a patient undress if just in his or her own clothing. I am not sure but think things have probably changed to having more reliance on a gown than stripped down to pants and briefs or underwear for ladies. I suspect that it likely depends on the patient's age and maybe to a large degree how senior the physician is and perhaps the doctor's gender.

Growing up there was never much to decide. It was undress to my brief's and almost assuredly experience my underpants lowered or removed. Once crossing the threshold of adulthood, it's become routine to be naked in a gown or in my briefs - though not likely to be retained. If I could choose, it would be to keep my brief's on and be told how to proceed. There is something more reassuring when the doctor is in charge for me. The gown always seems so silly and paper ones are just awkward. I am not sure what it attempts to hide or how it better helps my modesty. Hearing that I have to be naked usually means modesty is not all that important regardless of how I may feel.

Interesting perspective for us to consider that such a question generates. Thanks for making it a consideration.