Are rectal temps ever taken in a real clinical setting?

When I was a kid, the standard practice in French hospitals for adults and children old enough to cope was to pass a glass thermometer to the patient, and the patient inserted it into his rectum under the bed sheets.

About 10 years ago, after I had a bike accident, I spent some time in hospital. Everything with tympanic thermometers, if I recall correctly.

The likelihood of a rectal temp being taken in an American or Canadian medical office, on an adult or teen is unlikely to happen, under most circumstances. You might find an exception to that, if you visit a doctor who was trained in a country where rectal temps are common, such as Sweden or Norway. Most office staff would probably interpret the request with humor, or they may refer you to a mental health service. No doubt, it would probably give the office staff a story to remember.

My best guess is that zero percent of clinics today would adopt this practice. With the onset of digital alternatives and liability exposure, it just isn't practical. But, that said, going back to the 60s and 70s when I grew up, it was a totally different story. There were only rectal and oral options and many opted for rectal as a baseline. This was the case for me, both in the pediatric clinic and at home.

Beyond liability why would they do something that most patients consider embarrassing and somewhat uncomfortable when there are perfectly good alternatives?

Nowadays I can't see anyone use that method except for maybe a heatstroke and then you probably be going to the ER