How many...???

So how many people does it take to perform a gynecological exam?

17 apparently.

Yes, all 17 of these people were in the same (small) room, all at the same time during multiple exams, which included the usual inspection, bimanual exam, and trans-vaginal ultrasound. Insane right? There were 3 nurses, 7 doctors, 6 students (myself included), and of course the all important PROFESSOR. The reason was that they were qualifying the women for surgery the next day, even still it seems excessive.

What's more strange is that the women have no problems with it. They just march in and strip down in front of everyone who are already standing there waiting for her (there are no hospital gowns here and no time to prep yourself before the doctor comes in). There are also no coverings of any sort to help protect modesty.

Stuff like this doesn't seem to make much of a difference when we're talking about abdominal exams, or even looking at limbs. But, when it's in the private regions it's really something different all together. The patients are almost fully naked with no covering. Granted like I said before they really don't seem to care about it or if they do they don't show it, but as a  North American it's something strange indeed.

On another note, I'm enjoying this rotation a lot more than I thought I would. I really like having the opportunity to be in surgery and assist. I'm able to assist a whole lot more in the ob/gyn department than I did in the surgery department.

My first c-section I got to help deliver twins! I'd never seen a c-section before and I was not disappointed- boy was it bloody. WAY more bloody than some of the other surgeries I've seen. It's because of all the amniotic fluid and the pressure and stuff, but wow. My classmates who were standing behind me ended up a little bit too close to the splash zone and managed to get almost as covered as I was (almost). The kids were cute though.

I'm also now able to read an ultrasound, which feels like such an accomplishment! I'm may be a little bit on the proud side with that because I thought I'd never be able to read those things! I'm the only one in my group who's been able to correctly identify the sex of the babies, and I've got finding the ovaries, myomas, and what not down to an art.