If you’ve undergone gynecological surgery at a teaching hospital, there’s a chance that medical students—rather than residents—conducted pelvic or prostate exams on you without your permission. Yes, you read that right. Even in 2021, these alarming practices persist.
These exams serve no medical purpose for your care; they are merely used as teaching exercises, with you as the unwilling participant. Despite being outlawed in several states, nonconsensual pelvic and prostate exams continue to occur, even three years after the #MeToo movement gained momentum.
These incidents aren’t limited to gynecological surgeries. For instance, a woman named Lisa shared her experience after having stomach surgery at an Arizona teaching hospital in 2017. She had explicitly stated that she did not want students involved in her care, yet a resident informed her about her menstrual cycle—information obtained during a nonconsensual pelvic exam performed while she was unconscious. This incident triggered severe anxiety for Lisa, who has a history of trauma.
Currently, only fifteen states have fully banned nonconsensual pelvic and prostate exams, according to The Connecticut Mirror. In 2021, seven states proposed legislative bills to prohibit these practices, but Connecticut’s efforts were stalled due to pressure from medical professionals.
How Prevalent Are Nonconsensual Pelvic Exams?
Many individuals undergo numerous surgeries at teaching hospitals, leading to a disturbing frequency of these incidents. A participant on an online forum recounted, “During my Ob/Gyn rotation as a med student, my attending would have me perform a pelvic exam right after the patient was under anesthesia—without explicit permission, but for educational purposes.”
A 2005 study from the University of Oklahoma found that most medical students had performed pelvic exams on unconscious patients, with nearly 75% believing that informed consent was not obtained. Another study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that 90% of surveyed students from five Pennsylvania medical schools had conducted pelvic exams on unconscious patients. Those who had performed these exams were less likely to prioritize informed consent than their peers who hadn’t.
The practice of conducting nonconsensual exams can undermine medical students’ understanding of consent. One recent graduate expressed concern that students were often told to refer to consent forms signed by patients before surgery when asked to perform such exams, but admitted that “sometimes people didn’t check.”
According to Robin Fretwell Wilson, a law professor at the University of Illinois, many doctors justify these practices by claiming that patients implicitly consent to medical training when visiting teaching hospitals, or that consent for one procedure covers any additional related exams.
What About Consent Forms?
In many states, consent for pelvic and prostate exams doesn’t need to be explicitly included in consent forms. Hospitals often rely on the argument that they are teaching institutions, even if the procedure is unrelated to the patient’s reproductive health. Others use ambiguous language such as “students may be involved in my care,” which can lead to misunderstandings about the extent of consent.
Some medical professionals defend these exams. Dr. Emily Carter, an obstetrician-gynecologist at a leading university, argues that it is crucial for students to gain experience with pelvic and prostate exams, expressing concern that legislative efforts could stigmatize these procedures. A medical student, Sarah, compared the repetitive nature of these exams to “learning to drive,” but studies indicate that they may actually degrade the understanding of consent.
The Irony: Nonconsensual Pelvic and Prostate Exams Are Largely Ineffective
The Journal of the American Medical Association acknowledges that beyond ethical concerns, the educational value of pelvic exams performed on unconscious patients is minimal. They suggest that using paid volunteers for training purposes is more effective. Moreover, the advent of vaginal ultrasound probes is leading to questions about the necessity of traditional pelvic exams.
In essence, you could fall asleep and have random students violate your body under the guise of education. This practice should be outlawed across all states since it involves the insertion of fingers into another person’s rectum or vagina while they are unconscious and unable to consent—essentially sexual assault under current laws. Unfortunately, some healthcare providers believe they exist above the law, necessitating the need for reform.
It’s imperative to voice your preferences to your physician about student involvement in your care. Make it clear: you do not consent to students participating in your treatment if there’s a risk they may perform nonconsensual pelvic or prostate exams. Only through collective action can we put an end to this abhorrent practice.
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In summary, nonconsensual pelvic and prostate exams are still alarmingly common, often conducted without explicit consent during medical training. Addressing this issue requires awareness and proactive communication with healthcare providers to ensure that patients’ rights and bodily autonomy are respected.