Well, it just ain't right. There isn't ONE clinical examination textbook that advocates auscultation over clothing, nor is there one medical education institution that teaches auscultation over jumpers and t-shirts.
Often, because of the social status the doctor persona enjoys, we assume that they know best no matter what they do (or don't do). This is a fallacy. As in every profession, there are excellent doctors, good doctors, decent doctors, not-so-good doctors, and shit doctors. Ones who auscultate over clothing are shit doctors.
No technological marvel can replace the doctor's perception. A good doctor will carry out a thorough examination and plan out a diagnostic journey long before any machine can be freed up for the next patient. Clinical skills are more essential than ever.
You might say that I'm ranting on about this because I'm a clinical exam fetishist myself. One last remark, then: my wife went to the public health office for a cough. She was auscultated through her shirt (even *these* guys aren't as bad as auscultating through clothing) for approximately 15 seconds, then prescribed antibiotics. She didn't take them. She decided to splash out on a visit to the private practice of a distinguished pneumonologist. He interviewed her for 15 minutes, then examined her for as long. Over half of the examination was spent listening to her heart and lungs, on bare skin.
Lucky me, I know, I got to witness that. 😃 But just keep in mind, the exam at the public health center was for free; the pneumonologist guy cost $200.
Outcome: my wife's cough went away when, conforming to the doctors' advice, she bought a new super-duper space-age whirling-zappomatic brand-new hoover.
Regards