Seriously, why do men become gynecologists?
(Sorry, but we’ve seen “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle,” and just had to ask.) That certainly comes up once in a while. In medical school, after moving through the main rotations (internal medicine, OB/GYN, surgery, pediatrics), students pick a specialty. For many, the joy and privilege of delivering babies is the catalyst for choosing OB/GYN. For others, the surgical challenges of treating women who have debilitating conditions like fibroid tumors or ovarian cancer are the deciding factors. I practiced family medicine for six years. But for me, no specialty other than OB/GYN offers such a rewarding and diverse practice combining surgery, caring for patients over the long haul, and of course, being a part of the childbirth process. That has universal appeal to all medical students, male and female. Have you ever had patients refuse treatment from you because you’re a dude? What happened? I’m sure patients have opted not to make or keep appointments with me simply because I’m male. In o
