Radio Freaks sings “Thank You Oh Lord for the Bladder”
The New York Times has an interesting article about the growing presence of females in the field of urology, historically a male-dominated surgical subspecialty. About 20% of urologists in training are female, many drawn to the field by their experiences working with female urologist mentors.
What the article fails to mention is that the rise in female urologists comes on the tail of an explosion of women into the field of Ob-Gyn. Many of these female gynecologists are also heading into urology fellowships, gaining the additional training and experience they need to become urogynecologists.
The female bladder, after all, is a close neighbor to the uterus, and the urinary and reproductive tract develop alongside one another embyologically. Bladder and urethral suspensions are longtime gynecology procedures, often combined with vaginal hysterectomy when there is concomitant uterine prolapse. In addition, the bladder often causes problems in pregnancy as well as in menopause, and is a target organ for the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. We gynecologists deal a lot with bladder issues in the course of our day.
As the population ages, we can only expect an increased need in doctors who are expert at dealing with the problems of the urinary tract, in women as well as in men. It’s great to see more and more women entering the field of urology.
BTW, kudos to our own Keagirl for her blog’s mention!
I can’t believe that all training female urologists will be dealing exclusively with women patients. I’m a man of a certain aged prostate with some traditional male Urologist experience. I had a (very good) female GP for 3 years. Still, if I consider going to a female urologist it would be with the expectation that the advice given would be less traditional — that is, not so quick to prescribe a life-long pharma drug programme. There would have to be that or something else unique about the urologist to overcome the sex difference.
Andy,
Can you describe the sex difference and hesitation for you? Also, I am curious why the gender difference would make you think of alternative treatments? Both physicians would have been trained the same, and would have to pass the same medical boards.
There is no difference for me. Parts are parts. Women see male OB/GYNs all the time and most women are OK with that. If she (the uro) is ok with what specialty she practices, then I would be too. I am never going to be very comfortable with any doctor for a urologic need. Therefore, for me, gender will have no difference.
If the women have the same rigid approach as their male colleagues, I’ll stick with the man I have. What’s the point of adding on a sex discomfort factor? And as you say, we are unhappy about the whole thing to begin with.
I would definitely consider being a Urologist, I love it, especially if the world was heading to a point were people will actually see female doctors as scientists equally trained as male doctors and would probably add the fact that it’s less likely for a woman to “accidentally” decide to be a Urologist and therefore she *could* be more devoted.
What also concerns me is that in several countries (including Greece) Urology is very tied up with Andrology and women on the other hand tend to ask their OB/Gyn about problems with their urinary tract.
It feels as if the patients that should be appointed to a Urologist turn to other specialties.
However, at this point there are more female medical students in Greece, so they will have to “spread” through all the fields of specialty, no?
The subspecialty of female urology is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of those urinary tract disorders most prevalent in females. These include urinary incontinence and pelvic floor prolapse, voiding dysfunction, recurrent urinary tract infection, urethral syndrome and interstitial cystitis.
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hesslei
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