Yesterday was the first time that our class learned how to do the rectal and male genital exam. A lot of people in the class were pretty nervous about it, but I guess I didn't really see much difference in this exam and any other physical exam that we're taught. Or maybe it's cause I'm gay and I don't see anything wrong with sticking things in the ass? (that's definitely a joke). But I think everyone had a great experience with it.
It was essentially 5-6 students in a small room with a standardized patient, who's had training on how to teach students as we're performing the exam on them. They were (or I guess they had to be) very comfortable with their bodies and took us through a step by step approach, starting from just observing things to testing for inguinal hernias and ending with the prostate exam.
This also ties into my recent interest in urology. We haven't started the reproductive system yet (I think that's next) but we do have interest group meetings, and after going to one on urology, it seemed pretty interesting. I think I've always wanted to do surgery, but the lifestyle was a complete turnoff. Apparently, urologists have one of the better lifestyles out of all the surgical specialties, and there really aren't that many urology related emergencies that require you to work late at night/early morning. I'm hoping my comfortable mood yesterday will help me with the specialty too. There's still the six years of residency that I'm not looking forward to....
I wanted to do a urology rotation because I kept hearing how amazing it is (for a surgical sub-specialty). But because it's so popular and competitive, it's always full every month that I could feasibly take it! I guess I'll never know if I was meant to be a urologist in some other parallel world . . .
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