Men and Paediatrics? Is this considered Ethical?

**blueberrypie** · 29-07-2007, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by S Knights

It might be difficult to get a reply on this one, since the tread has not been active for almost a year!

(As an aside, I'm a man and I want to go into O&G... not because I particularly enjoy looking at genitals - male OR female - but because I find the disorders interesting, and hope I could be quite good at it. I don't think it's unethical or odd in the least.)

The obs side of things I can understand, but I have never understood why anyone would want to go into gynaecology. I hope you have your bow tie at the ready. Lol!!!

**S Knights** · 05-08-2007, 12:12 AM

I have been building up a stock of bow ties

.

I actually prefer the gynae side over obs... I like the fact that you can be faced with a woman who has a problem that is seriously impacting on her life, and with either drugs, devices or surgery you can quite often fix it. Not to mention that you get the odd surgical emergency to keep you on your toes.

Obstetrics isn't bad, but crash sections at 3 am can get a little hairy...

**blueberrypie** · 05-08-2007, 12:58 AM

EEEWWWW, bow ties. Lol!!!

I could imagine nothing worse, but hey ho! someone has to do it. Good on you. Just hope I never need to visit one. Gynaecologists always seem to be men. Not that I think that is perverse, because I don't.

I guess women have more sense. After all they wouldn't want all that lovely long hair getting caught anywhere. Lol.

Oh well, good on you and I hope you get to where you want to be, even if that is between a million or more women's legs.... suppose that is one way to get there

**S Knights** · 05-08-2007, 01:11 AM

I am quite fond of bow ties... Though I've not worn one for a long time in hospital (they seem to be the sort of thing, along with suit jackets, that you have to be at least an SpR to get away with).

I do get a lot of amazed looks when I tell people what I want to do. It's dreadful on the orthopaedic ward where I currently work... During the morning trauma meeting one of the bosses spotted me and asked if I wanted to be an orthopod, when I replied: "not in the least, I want to do O&G", the entire room went silent and just stared at me!

I might have to work your last phrase into a personal motto... could probably become something terribly inspirational

.

**elz** · 05-08-2007, 03:27 PM

i work in maternity and although we don't have any male midwives, most of the consultants are male. its certainly ethical, u just have to ask if they want a chaperone.
my friend (whos a guy) is now a paediatric nurse, i think some guys are really good with children if theyv got that personality. and some kids get on better with men with a sense of humour.

**piccles** · 18-06-2008, 04:36 PM

Thought I would take this along a different line so...

Women and paediatrics? is this considered ethical?

lol (only joking but then this is the funniest debate I have come accross)

**Faust** · 07-12-2008, 06:15 PM

There is a very unhealthy obsession in the UK about the relationship between men and children. People seem to think that men can't be nursery teachers in case they are paedophiles or something and there seems to be a massive mistrust of men that are genuinely interested in children. If I gave a child some lemon sherbets in the middle of the street, people would think I am some sort of paedophile, but if a female old age pensioner did the same, no one would bat an eyelid. Most countries in Africa and Asia don't seem to have this same problem.

**Elebump** · 06-05-2009, 08:43 PM

my grandad specialised in paediatrics and obstetrics, so from my point of view there's nothing un-ethical about it. However, I know a lot of people would consider it 'wrong' or refuse for their children to be treated by a male doctor. I dont understand why really, but I know that if you want a be a paeds doctor you should definately try it

**blueberrypie** · 06-05-2009, 08:50 PM

As someone who works in paeds, I have never seen any parent worried about their child being treated by a man. There is not such an issue in paeds with men, but as a woman, if I were to see a gynaecologist, I think I would prefer a woman, even though these men have seen it all before. Nothing personal towards the man, but it just comes down to what you are comfortable with.

**astronaut** · 26-07-2010, 04:21 PM

According to DH's stats, 42% of doctors working in paeds in England are male. It's exactly the same proportion in obs & gynae.

Compares with 58% male in the English NHS as a whole.