A study came out suggesting that female doctors might be better than male ones…definitely a controversial statement and one to which I won’t speak in terms of statistical or factual validity. That being said, from just a personal perspective, I—as a female patient—have preferred my female doctors over the male ones I’ve had throughout my life. It’s not a personality issue, and it certainly had nothing to do with how qualified or accomplished they were. I’ve had, objectively speaking, very impressive male doctors. But I’ve always found my interactions with my female doctors to just be easier and more pleasant…for me as a woman. That might be because, when it comes to the experience of being a female in this world, that’s something no man can ever possibly understand as well as a woman can. And perhaps I need those shared experiences with my physician. Here is why you may want a female doctor, if you’re a woman. They’ve experienced hormonal issues A male doctor may be able to tell you that a certain medication could cause hormonal issues, but a female doctor truly understands how a hormonal imbalance can feel. So she might be more hesitant to prescribe any medication that could cause hormonal imbalances, or at least take more care to advise you on how to manage those. Because she’s been there, and she knows hormonal issues suck. They understand birth control side effects, first hand Your female doctor has probably been on birth control herself, so she really knows—firsthand—how the various options feel, and affect your body. I mean, a male doctor just can’t tell you what it’s like to have sex wearing an IUD. He just can’t. They might recognize disordered eating quicker Women tend to be more in tune with weight concerns and, more specifically, disordered eating. I have, in fact, had several male doctors completely miss the fact that I once had an eating disorder. I don’t have one now but, it took a female doctor to notice some of my habits and behaviors may be linked to an emotional issue, and advise me to see a therapist. They understand body image issues As a footnote to the last point, female doctors understand the societal pressures women feel in terms of body image. They understand that some women want to look a certain way. They keep these things in mind when discussing exercise and eating. You’ll open up about sexual health more Telling a male doctor about the particular activities you’ve been doing in the bedroom with your sexual partners can feel uncomfortable, and even inappropriate. But with a female doctor, it can feel like you’re chatting with a girlfriend. They get being a mom and a professional There is a chance that your female doctor is also a mother, and she understands the experiences and demands that a working mom faces. She’ll consider that when scheduling certain procedures—especially those that require bed rest and down time. They don’t compartmentalize as much Women, in general, don’t compartmentalize as much as men do. A female doctor may be better at looking at the overall picture of your life and health, and connecting dots male doctors may not have seen. That nurturing bedside manner There is really nothing like that maternal, nurturing bedside manner of a female doctor. She can keep you calm when you’re worried before or after a procedure, or when you’re experiencing new symptoms. They may keep fertility in mind A female doctor understands the ticking biological clock of a woman. She might think about your fertility—if you want to have kids—when advising you on certain medications and habits. Discussing bowel issues Talking about bowel issues can just be a little easier with another woman. And it’s very important to discuss those things. They’ve experienced odd discharge/burning down there Your female doctor—let’s just say it—has a vagina! So she has experienced, firsthand, odd looking and smelling discharge, certain burning and itching sensations down there, and more. She may be able to more quickly identify what’s going on with your body, just by hearing about your symptoms, than a man can. They know which meds interact with the female body best Medications can interact very differently with the female body than the male one. Male doctors know this, but they haven’t known it in their bones. They haven’t actually been a woman, taking a certain medication. They can be more comfortable addressing depression Women tend to be a bit more comfortable addressing and discussing depression. If you are suffering from emotional issues, you might feel more comfortable telling your female doctor about those, and asking for a referral for a therapist. A stronger focus on nutrition I think women just think about food more than men, and particularly how that food affects our moods, joints, and overall sense of wellbeing. A female doctor may ask more detailed questions about what you’ve been eating to get to the bottom of your symptoms. A broader understanding of your experiences Female doctors just know of certain female habits that could be affecting symptoms. They know about popular female products and trends that could be at the root of the things you’re experiencing. Source
