L.P. asks from Uniontown, PA on July 07, 2011
First Ob/gyn Appt...
Well, I had my first ob appt. :)
Everything went pretty well. They did an internal ultrasound, so we got to see the baby (aka our little blob with a heartbeat - lol) and got to hear his/her heart beating furiously... So cute. Of course, I had to endure hearing the laundry list of devastating things that could go wrong, what with me being of advanced maternal age and all (I'm 38). Plus I had pre-eclampsia late in my last pregnancy. So I'm high risk all over the place. But I feel good, so we'll just keep thinking happy thoughts.
But the reason for my post is that my visit to the vagina doctor got me thinking, as I do after every visit, why on earth does anyone choose this profession? Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I just can't wrap my head around the moment when a med school student says, "Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today." Ok, sorry, I watch too much Disney channel. What I meant to say was, "I know what I want to do with my life. I want to look at, probe, touch, manipulate, scrape, scour, smell, and otherwise examine vaginas all day long." I'm dead serious, why does anyone choose this profession? Don't get me wrong, I looove my doctor, but I just don't get it.
So What Happened?™
Ok, Mommy of 1 and any others who are taking this way more seriously than intended. This was absolutely more of a fun question than a serious one, if you didn't detect that in my tone. I understand there is much science/patient care/etc. involved with being any kind of doctor. And there are certainly more facets to being an ob/gyn than staring at vaginas. I was NOT implying that all ob's are perverts. If you read, I looove my ob. But they do get their fair share of looking at vaginas - of all kinds - and I'm sure it's not always pleasant. Just as a proctologist's job isn't always pleasant. Or an oncologist's job isn't always pleasant. I wasn't disrespecting the profession, or the people who choose to partake in it. I realize their value. Lighten up, ladies, this was a lighthearted, fun question. Sorry if I offended anyone with my immature question. That was not my intent. At all. Anyone who knows me from this site surely realizes that.
Featured Answers
J.R. answers from Davenport on July 07, 2011
I would say the looking at vaginas all day part is a not fun, but necessary, part of a job that they mostly decide to do to help women, prevent and treat disease, and help bring new lives into the world. I wish there were more in my geographical area - I have to drive 45 miles to find one at all!
2 moms found this helpful
S.A. answers from Dallas on July 07, 2011
You will be fine having this baby at 38, I had my youngest child when I was 35 and all went well. I think the people that go in to to ob/gyn are really in to it because they desire to take care of people or it could be the thought of deliverying that precious gift of a baby. They do not think of it as looking at or examining vaginas all day. lol. Many blessings to you with this pregnancy and baby.
2 moms found this helpful
More Answers
R.W. answers from Salt Lake City on July 07, 2011
My dad is an OB. He has been practicing for 35 years and still LOVES his job. He loves delivering babies. He STILL comes home from work and will say, "I delivered the cutest set of twins today!" or he'll feel sad because he had to deliver a fetal demise. He says he loves helping couples become a family (he also specializes in fertility). He is a very kind man with the biggest heart I've ever seen. When I was a kid, someone delivered a TON of firewood to our house and he said, "They couldn't afford their baby's delivery, so this is how they can pay me. I will take care of the cost." Not all men who become OB/GYN's are nasty people with dirty minds. If anything, I think they are MORE tolerant because they are willing to take care of that part of our bodies that are a HUGE part of our overall health, as women.
9 moms found this helpful
S.B. answers from Dallas on July 07, 2011
I went to high school with a girl who said throughout high school that she wanted to be a gynecologist. I asked her why... thinking the same things you mentioned. She always said that she wants to do something that empowered women. Something that helped them. She always mentioned that what could be more empowering that helping a woman learn about her own body. Learn to be a healthier person. She mentioned that many times an OB is the first one to spot a more serious issues with a woman. Plus, every doctor has to poke and prod...turn and cough??? She said that she could imagine no greater joy than helping bring a new life into the world. She loved the idea of being the first hands to touch a new baby. I googled her not too long ago. She seems pretty renowned in the field of gynecology, so I suppose she reached her goal of being a doctor.
7 moms found this helpful
J.C. answers from New York on July 07, 2011
That is such an odd question. And an immature one.
My father was an OB/GYN and an excellent one. There is certainly more to being an OB/GYN than simply looking at vagina's all day. It is a science. And he was more than just a baby deliverer and check up man. He was also a highly skilled surgeon who saved many women's lives and many babies lives. He was devoted to medicine and science. He was brilliant. Worked his way though school, hardly slept as he was up delivering babies most nights and provided a nice life for his family. And he made a difference in the lives of many women, children and families.
And why did he choose to be an OB/GYN? Because when he was a resident, he was mentored by the most fabulous doctor - an OB/GYN and that convinced him that this was the field that he had to be in.
5 moms found this helpful
D.K. answers from Pittsburgh on July 07, 2011
My dad is an ob/gyn. People do it because delivering healthy babies is immensely gratifying. Because there are a limited number of medical fields where the patients are healthy and HAPPY to see you and the outcome is almost always HAPPY. Because without them women will die in childbirth.
Also. Because family planning is a huge issue in the developing world and helping women avoid perineal fistulas and repairing them makes an IMMENSE difference in women's lives. Because some physicians believe strongly enough in a woman's right to chose that they make ensuring it their profession. Because people develop research interests in all aspects of health and disease.
3 moms found this helpful
R.D. answers from Richmond on July 07, 2011
YAY GOOD APPOINTMENT!! :)
I actually asked my OBGYN what possessed him to do this line of work ;)
I LOVE my OBGYN, (Dr Todd Billett, Womens Physicians for Women, WOOT!), and he told me he got into it for tons of various reasons. (He's also one of the only docs here who can use the DA VINCI surgery stuff; he is here in VA but can perform surgeries all over the world with that thing!)... mostly, he does it for healthy babies. He wants all babies to be healthy and get the best start. For such a flirt and tough guy, he love love loves babies. He's so kind... when my insurance ran out, he would still see me after my kids were born to make sure I was okay (had lots of issues with cervical cancer). He specializes in multiples and high risk pregnancies. He has never forgotten a patients name. He knows their kids and their stories. He's just great! If there was any one person MEANT to be an OBGYN, it's him. He defintely found his calling :)
He just wants women and babies to be healthy :)
3 moms found this helpful
K.L. answers from Redding on July 07, 2011
A ob-gyn here was in medical school hoping to specialize in surgery when he and his wife were stuck in a huge traffic jam in L.A. While waiting for traffic to clear someone came running up and down the freeway lanes screaming they needed a Dr. He and his wife both got out and ran to the car to see what was wrong, and found a woman just about ready to deliver. He says he reached thru the window and delivered his first baby. When it was all done and over he turned to his wife and told her this is what he need to do. He changed his direction in college and became an OB. He said he still loves delivering babies and just figures seeing all that other stuff is the cost of having the honor of bringing babies into the world.
Now if you ever get a chance to see the tv show DIRTY JOBS, watch and then try and figure out what in the world people were thinking when they applied for some of those positions! Other than, its a job, it needs to be done, and it pays money, why would anyone do some of those things.
3 moms found this helpful
J.B. answers from Birmingham on July 07, 2011
JOB security! There is always a need for OBGYN's. Also, it is a very complicated part of the medical field. Because they are caring for 2 patients in 1 person, there is a lot of room for complications and problems. I'm sure there are a lot of people who love a challenge and want to do this for that reason. The downside is the probing of the occasional smelly vagina. HA!
Congratulations and good luck with your pregnancy!
2 moms found this helpful
J.R. answers from Davenport on July 07, 2011
I would say the looking at vaginas all day part is a not fun, but necessary, part of a job that they mostly decide to do to help women, prevent and treat disease, and help bring new lives into the world. I wish there were more in my geographical area - I have to drive 45 miles to find one at all!
2 moms found this helpful
Email
facebook
twitter
StumbleUpon
digg it
kirtsy
Technorati
reddit
del.icio.us
blinklist
simpy
