Initial pelvic examination instruction: The effectiveness of three contemporary approaches

Touching the private parts: how gender and sexuality norms affect medical students’ first pelvic examination

“…when the medical students prepare for and perform a pelvic examination, they experience a variety of emotions and reactions (Abraham et al 2003;Buchwald 1979;Holzman et al 1977). Some medical students perceive examining the genital area as a kind of intrusion.…”

“…Fairbank, Reid, and Minzenmay 2015;Hilden et al 2003;Oscarsson and Benzein 2002;wendt, Fridlund, and Lidell 2004). A significant amount of research has also been done on how medical students feel about performing their first pelvic examination (Abraham et al 2003;Buchwald 1979;Holzman et al 1977;Siwe, Berterö, and wijma 2012;Siwe, Silén, and Berterö 2007), but to date no research has focused on medical students' thoughts about and reactions to the female genitals and how cultural connotations may affect their experience, hence our focus here. Studying the pelvic examination from this perspective is also motivated by the fact that this is a specific examination concerning female genitals, which are considered to be private.…”

“…One of them is learning how to perform a pelvic examination, which requires the integration of technical skills with behavioural and communication skills. Students about to perform their first pelvic examination often experience mixed emotions: they want to learn, but may simultaneously fear facing the situation (Abraham et al 2003;Buchwald 1979;Holzman et al 1977). The pelvic examination is a common examination and gynaecologists learn how to handle the situation through practice.…”

Evaluating Pelvic Examination Training: Does Faculty Involvement Make a Difference? A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…[14][15][16] Three studies attempt a head to head comparison of GTA training versus GTA and faculty training and show that there is no difference in the students' acquisition of technical skills. [17][18][19] However, in the Holzman study, the objective examination was conducted immediately after training. In the Kleinman study, the two randomized groups were at two different institutions, which meant that there was no control over the uniformity of the teaching by the clinical faculty or the clinical experience of the students.…”

Pelvic examination using professional patients: An analysis of medical students’ evaluation of the program

“…Holzman et al, 8 in 1977, compared the effectiveness of three approaches to pelvic examination instruction. The students who received training from the simulated patients rated significantly better in psychomotor and interpersonal skills than did students who received simulated outpatient instruction by a gynecologist.…”