Lack of Sex Education

[candykk]

Does anybody find that medical schools don't teach enough about sex education?
My school only spent a day or two on it and all we learned was STDs, the treatments for STDs, all the different contraceptions, and a little hand out on how to speak to patients about sex ed.
I took a human sexuality class during undergrad, and I feel like much of what I learned in that one course has deemed more helpful for me than what they are teaching me in medical school. I know that human sexuality is not required for many medical schools. Does anyone agree or disagree?

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[Nietzsche's Barber]

we learned was STDs, the treatments for STDs, all the different contraceptions, and a little hand out on how to speak to patients about sex ed.

Wanting more knowledge is always admirable, but my question is:

What else could you possibly want to know? Disease, disease tx, disease prevention, and birth control...seems like all necessary bases were covered.

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

As a side note, the best male sex education talk I had ever heard was this: "Don't let the little head think for the big head". Blew. My. Mind.

 

[Chelsea FC]

As a side note, the best male sex education talk I had ever heard was this: "Don't let the little head think for the big head". Blew. My. Mind.

*puffs blunt* What If both the heads are big? Who should do the thinking? ?

 

[deleted480308]

"here's how to decrease disease/pregnancy risk" doesn't take too long

 

[Doctor Strange]

My school had a whole week of lectures on sex education. It not only covered STDs but also dealt with sexual assault, gender, and LGBT topics. It's not often that I have to talk to patients about their sexual history and/or counsel patients about sexual practices, but I can tell you that that week equipped me with some valuable skills for approaching these situations.

 

[Redpancreas]

I'm curious as to what else you think should be done. We see penises and vaginas in anatomy in case we haven't already and cut them open and see what they're made off. We then learn mindblowing facts about how related the structures are in embryology. Then in physiology we spend a whole month or so covering female and some male reproductive physiology which is admittedly tough with lots of details that make up the big picture. Then we spend lots of time in Pharm/Micro discussing STDs and treatments (in both classes) and then again in Pathology and review it a couple more times in our Derm/Neuro/Repro pathophysiology units. Then we have two months of OB/GYN when only one month is needed in my opinion (no way should OB/GYN be as long as IM). I'll never forget the week I spent on LD nights on the post-labor floor where I was essentially walking room to room as the birth control salesman. The one thing with women's health that is missing (doesn't really have to do with sexuality) but we don't really cover all the bladder complications and xxxxx-cele diseases of the female GU and also male sexuality while not as complex isn't really covered in much depth outside of Psych and Repro but I have no issues there.

In terms of counseling we had two of our weekly clinical medicine day focus on human sexuality twice and it's brought up again with demonstration of how to do a pelvic exam in male and female patients.

 

[_ Aquarius _]

If you think you aren't being taught enough, just open a book and find out things for yourself.

 

[DocWinter]

I wonder if you might be more uncomfortable with the topic than actually unprepared for it. I feel med school was very sufficient for sex ed.

 

[Lanekane88]

If you don't know much about sex just tell your friend to let you learn how to be an experienced guy. hehe!

 

[takeurmeds02]

*puffs blunt* What If both the heads are big? Who should do the thinking? ?

Folks find out they're going to medschool and don't know how to act smh

 

[Chelsea FC]

Folks find out they're going to medschool and don't know how to act smh

Huh?

 

[787593]

As a side note, the best male sex education talk I had ever heard was this: "Don't let the little head think for the big head". Blew. My. Mind.

there's only enough blood to use one at a time

 

[787593]

Does anybody find that medical schools don't teach enough about sex education?
My school only spent a day or two on it and all we learned was STDs, the treatments for STDs, all the different contraceptions, and a little hand out on how to speak to patients about sex ed.
I took a human sexuality class during undergrad, and I feel like much of what I learned in that one course has deemed more helpful for me than what they are teaching me in medical school. I know that human sexuality is not required for many medical schools. Does anyone agree or disagree?

 

[Wordead]

Folks find out they're going to medschool and don't know how to act smh

 

[FlameBroiledDoc]

It depends on what you mean by "sex ed". The medical/disease part is pretty straightforward. If you mean covering issues of sexuality and gender identity, med school probably doesn't provide enough. Then again, it's not like you can snap a finger and change the curriculum. You need research to provide the foundational knowledge base; a critical mass of leaders to identify it as a priority; enough people versed in the subject matter to provide teaching; and so on.

 

[67552931811]

It depends on what you mean by "sex ed". The medical/disease part is pretty straightforward. If you mean covering issues of sexuality and gender identity, med school probably doesn't provide enough. Then again, it's not like you can snap a finger and change the curriculum. You need research to provide the foundational knowledge base; a critical mass of leaders to identify it as a priority; enough people versed in the subject matter to provide teaching; and so on.

Just like those interprofessional bull**** courses eh?

 

[Chelsea FC]

Folks find out they're going to medschool and don't know how to act smh

Must be fun at parties.

 

[GoodWillShunting]

Not sure. I hypothesize that greater time spent reading about sex results in less time experiencing it, and experience is really the best teacher.


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[mw18]

You should get the science part of it one way and the doctoring/personal/discussing these matters professionally part at a different time or in a different class. There are some helpful tidbits involved, but it'll probably underwhelm you on the whole. Just a handful of questions that should be asked in a straightforward and unassuming manner.

 

[ed*26]

Just curious, how much does medical training in general go into tackling healthy behavioral promotion? Obviously STIs are common for a reason, and that reason isn't because prevention methods aren't widely available and affordable (for the adult population). Same with obesity -- you can learn all you want about its physiology and what medications to give and still not change any of your patient's situations. Do you ever get any formal instruction on motivational techniques or is that something you're supposed to pick up on your own?

 

[SurfingDoctor]

Just curious, how much does medical training in general go into tackling healthy behavioral promotion? Obviously STIs are common for a reason, and that reason isn't because prevention methods aren't widely available and affordable (for the adult population). Same with obesity -- you can learn all you want about its physiology and what medications to give and still not change any of your patient's situations. Do you ever get any formal instruction on motivational techniques or is that something you're supposed to pick up on your own?

Frankly, you can't motivate someone who is uninterested in changing to begin with, so I'm unsure what value that would be in teaching that in medical school. Sure, there are studies and systemic reviews that show counseling can help, but I would argue that there is a selection bias by the pure fact that the people recruited into a study are more motivated than a person who doesn't enroll. So counseling can work, but what works more is pharmacological interventions.

Individual behavioural counselling for smoking cessation. - PubMed - NCBI

Apply the concept of motivational techniques to the age group most effected by STIs and unintended pregnancies, late teens to early twenties... having treated teenagers for a decade, if they don't want to improve their health, they won't. As an anecdote, I see lots of DKA in my area of expertise and many of the kids are 16 to 17 year old repeat offenders. You can tell them they are going to lose their feet, their sight, their kidneys.... they don't care. I've even told the boys that they lose the ability to have sex (from erectile dysfunction... I mean what else to teenage boys care about more)... but I see the same kid 1 month later because they didn't feel like taking their insulin.

All this being said, I'm sure there are classes in medical school or opportunities one could have that address the psychology of human behavior and maybe one could get insight in motivational techniques. I'm just not sure how practical or useful that information would be.

 

[mvenus929]

It depends on what you mean by "sex ed". The medical/disease part is pretty straightforward. If you mean covering issues of sexuality and gender identity, med school probably doesn't provide enough. Then again, it's not like you can snap a finger and change the curriculum. You need research to provide the foundational knowledge base; a critical mass of leaders to identify it as a priority; enough people versed in the subject matter to provide teaching; and so on.

This is changing. The AAMC recommended changes to the medical school curriculum in 2014 to address more LGBT issues, and several residencies have done research looking at how much training people get in residency. I'm starting a pilot program in my residency.

 

[Johan90]

 

[cellsaver]

Frankly, you can't motivate someone who is uninterested in changing to begin with, so I'm unsure what value that would be in teaching that in medical school.

Spot on. I used to attend Alanon Meetings (AA type meetings for relatives/ loved ones of addicts). It was eye opening to say the least to hear/see the stories of relapses with those in "recovery". I often heard "they have to hit rock bottom before"....etc, etc, etc. Then there is obesity/overweight trends in America. I'm still stunned when I see a young person smoking cigarettes. And seeing "vap" stores open across America just blows my mind.

Apply the concept of motivational techniques to the age group most effected by STIs and unintended pregnancies, late teens to early twenties....

And yet abortions have been declining. How do you figure?

 

[mistafab]

Looks like the overwhelming majority of responders to your poll say they do.

 

[Mad Jack]

This is an area with plenty of room for extracurricular study. My school did pretty well in the classroom though, even if it did fall short of what I'd prefer (I'm a big advocate for sexual health and sex education).

 

[dpmd]

This is an area with plenty of room for extracurricular study.

Was going to post something then remembered this is in the main forums.

My school did go into LGBT stuff along with the usual disease and pregnancy stuff. We got to practice with SPs asking "if you choose to have sex do you have sex with men, women, or both". I think we might have talked about some transgender stuff too (like how to be sensitive about pelvic exams for people at varying points of transition) or maybe that was something I learned about later.

 

[Mad Jack]

Was going to post something then remembered this is in the main forums.

My school did go into LGBT stuff along with the usual disease and pregnancy stuff. We got to practice with SPs asking "if you choose to have sex do you have sex with men, women, or both". I think we might have talked about some transgender stuff too (like how to be sensitive about pelvic exams for people at varying points of transition) or maybe that was something I learned about later.

That was about as conservative as I could be lol, oh god the jokes I wanted to make...

We had a whole LGBT week with conferences, in addition to sex education and such. We really did get a decent education, but I feel like I'd still be weak in those areas of I hadn't done a good amount of supplementing outside the classroom. Experience, comfort, and interest counts for so much with sexual education that I really don't even know if a more structured curriculum would help much.

 

[dpmd]

That was about as conservative as I could be lol, oh god the jokes I wanted to make...

We had a whole LGBT week with conferences, in addition to sex education and such. We really did get a decent education, but I feel like I'd still be weak in those areas of I hadn't done a good amount of supplementing outside the classroom. Experience, comfort, and interest counts for so much with sexual education that I really don't even know if a more structured curriculum would help much.

Not to mention that the need for it is variable among the specialties. As a general surgeon the only time I get into sex discussions is when I am telling people that they shouldn't have used that type of object for anal insertion, or when I am suggesting they refrain from certain activities for a period of time to allow healing. So my ideal education will be different from say a family practice doc that has to talk to everyone from young kids through the elderly about sex.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Does anybody find that medical schools don't teach enough about sex education?
My school only spent a day or two on it and all we learned was STDs, the treatments for STDs, all the different contraceptions, and a little hand out on how to speak to patients about sex ed.
I took a human sexuality class during undergrad, and I feel like much of what I learned in that one course has deemed more helpful for me than what they are teaching me in medical school. I know that human sexuality is not required for many medical schools. Does anyone agree or disagree?

Preclinical education is meant to teach you the foundation about each aspect of medicine. It's not an expectation to be all-encompassing, but it is expected that if your specialty deals with this more than others (e.g. Ob/GYN, Urology, FM, IM, etc) then you will continue to learn and be better prepared.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

And yet abortions have been declining. How do you figure?

Mostly multifactorial cultural changes and effective, highly available contraceptives. Teen pregnancy rates have been declining for the past 50 years.

Why is the teen birth rate falling?

 

[Lanekane88]

Folks find out they're going to medschool and don't know how to act smh

Yeah, there are lots of ways to be expert in this subject.