mightyduck1 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Hi, I'm currently prospecting the PA field as a potential career - but one thing that I'd like to know, how often were the males required to remove their shirts for a lab of some sort? I ask because I have very severe gynecomastia and loose skin from weight loss that can only be corrected by surgery and would be...extremely uncomfortable if I were to be required to remove my shirt for lab.. It may seem like a trivial thing, but to me, it isn't. It may not stall my pursuits of being a PA, but I'd like a heads up anyway Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patachok Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Not sure about your question... i am in the first quarter of PA school, and none of us have stripped yet :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friction Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Not sure about your question... i am in the first quarter of PA school, and none of us have stripped yet :) Its still early... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 29, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2013 Its still early... yup, physical dx is second semester....although someone with a legitimate excuse could likely get excused....we had to strip fairly far down for physical dx .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted July 29, 2013 Administrator Share Posted July 29, 2013 yup, physical dx is second semester....although someone with a legitimate excuse could likely get excused....we had to strip fairly far down for physical dx .... Yeah, gynecomastia will be the least of your concerns when you're working with your classmates to practice rectal and testicular exams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbalaban Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Um, what about skin art? Wonder how that would be perceived Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPA Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Yeah, gynecomastia will be the least of your concerns when you're working with your classmates to practice rectal and testicular exams. You actually had to perform those exams on classmates, and vice versa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 29, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2013 You actually had to perform those exams on classmates, and vice versa? we had "professional models" for pelvics and did rectals/prostate on a manakin. we did testicular and breast exams on classmates in small groups. folks could opt out if overly shy but at some point you need to just get down to business and get it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 That must differ by school. We never did intimate exams on one another and were in t shirts and shorts for the other exams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 29, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2013 That must differ by school. We never did intimate exams on one another and were in t shirts and shorts for the other exams. we had a lab the students called(and please excuse the vulgarity) : "Tits for balls". all the upper body musculoskeletal exams were done on shirtless males. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Once a week for a month or maybe a month and a half. They let us choose our partner and we are "shielded" from the other students (think of the curtains they use in the ER, does give you total privacy). The instructors are all going to see you shirtless as they teach you how to do physical exam with each other (walk in and out of the private rooms to give advice etc). So your 1 partner plus whatever PAs instruct the class. The other time is during practical exams over the physical. We had I think 3-4 that required us to be shirtless. You are randomly assigned someone and have to do your practical with them and a PA in the room. So there you have it. Also, we did not do rectal exams. Penile and breast/gyn exam were done on people who were associated with the school (what an odd job). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briepm Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 We had physical exam for the first two semesters (though we didn't have lab every week). Females were expected to be in a sports bra and shorts, and guys in shorts and no shirt. We were just with our partner and shielded except for when our profs came to check on us, but the dress code was mandatory. Also, we did pelvic/ rectal on models (breast was done on the males and on a model for females). We all felt extremely uncomfortable at first (I'm female and had a male partner) but you get over it pretty quick. Remember, it's good for you (and your partner!) to practice on a real body, since our patients come in all shapes and sizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightyduck1 Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Thank you for all the replies, they've been very helpful. Sooo, any PAs here work in California, specialized in Plastics up for some pro-bono work? :) haha.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstrell1 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 It's my second day of class, and we were told to wear sports bras and shorts from now on so that we can practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted August 1, 2013 Administrator Share Posted August 1, 2013 It's my second day of class, and we were told to wear sports bras and shorts from now on so that we can practice. Sounds like a good program that's more interested in turning out students with good physical exam skills than preserving comfort zones. Good for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cali Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Keeping a shirt on might be kinda tough depending on the program. I just started school (this is my fifth week of class), and we have PD labs every Monday. We were issued gowns; women wear shorts+sports bras beneath and men wear shorts. They have been emphasizing appropriate draping for patient comfort, so you're only exposed when you need to be (practicing heart and lung sounds, abdominal exam, etc.). We all have very different shapes, sizes, bumps, lumps, skin issues, etc--you definitely won't be the only self conscious one! But it's great to practice on a real person. Plus, this isn't so bad--one lab instructor told me that when he went to PA school they practiced rectal exams on each other (we do it on standardized patients). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmccary31 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I did not know this was common in PA school...time to hit the gym lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted August 1, 2013 Administrator Share Posted August 1, 2013 I did not know this was common in PA school...time to hit the gym lol Don't bother. You will be seeing people all day, every day, who don't look like they belong on the pages of a magazine of ANY sort (except maybe a weight-loss "before" picture), and you might as well help your peers get used to it now. Nakedness in medicine isn't appealing. It's utilitarian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naphthalene Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Don't bother. You will be seeing people all day, every day, who don't look like they belong on the pages of a magazine of ANY sort (except maybe a weight-loss "before" picture), and you might as well help your peers get used to it now. Nakedness in medicine isn't appealing. It's utilitarian. By that logic, PA matriculants should all become dumpy couch potatoes! lmccary31 is tryin' to hit the gym and you're dissuading him/her? What kind of PA are you?! In my opinion, go ahead and get yolked. Who knows, maybe pick up a few dates. Lol. Only kidding rev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 To the OP: I would say that in my physical exam class the males were shirtless about a quarter of the days. That doesn't mean they paraded around sans clothes for the entire class period (okay, some did that). Odds are you will be partnered with someone and you will take turns finding landmarks and such on each other behind a curtain. There were a few demonstrations by faculty on a student volunteer - trust me, there will be plenty of exhibitionists in your class and you won't ever have to get up there. I was in a teeshirt and shorts most of the time, and so were the boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotaskimmer Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 The first two quarters of my program had physical assessment labs which required getting shirtless about once a week. Penile, testicular, pelvic, breast exams were all on professional models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PM2PA Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Tits for balls lab, awesome. I can't speak for all programs but I highly doubt anybody today goes much beyond sports bras and shorts. Pelvic/rectals are done on paid surrogates and everything else is on a dummy. Some professors really want the students to dig deep for a few parts of an exam but for the most part we just verbalize, "Would do this under clothing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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