Recently, a medical student named Nick Baumel at the Mayo Clinic was expelled before match season. He posted a series of videos commenting jokingly on women’s anatomy with regard to catheters. The medical community split into a huge debate on the subject of professionalism and the impact these videos have. Supporters of Baumel said that the videos were all in good fun, and that the expulsion was an overreaction. Contrastly, many seasoned medical professionals sounded off about the negative impact these jokes will have on patients. They argued that these jokes deter people from seeking medical help out of embarrassment. There is already an issue with patients waiting more than they should to seek medical help because of poverty. A social stigma being bolstered with online jokes will only amplify the issue. When patients wait longer to seek help, their medical issues become more complex and harder to treat. This puts a burden on doctors and nurses. The de-stigmatization of medical procedures is an imperative goal for the medical community, and the world at large.
Women’s health is an area of research that is already underserved. In order to get more research we need women to continue to see doctors and seek treatment. We need women to not be afraid or embarrassed of scars, scents or any other areas of sensitivity. A good comparison would be mental health. In recent times, mental health awareness has exploded. More and more people have been open and accepting of seeking mental health services. There is still a stigma, but it has been weakened by the work of the medical community and advocates. This year, at 21, I have my first gynecological check up. The reason I, and many other young women, wait so long is because of fear. The jokes about how embarrassing and potentially painful this check-up is, deterred me from making the appointment. My mother passed when I was 16, meaning she was never able to advise me about pap smears and gynecological check-ups. Doing research on my own, and hearing anecdotes online truly only worsened my fear. But, the recent boost in female physicians, surgeons and nurses inspired me. Seeing so many women dominate in the field and encourage patients to seek preventative medical care is the reason why I set that appointment.
Women’s health affects us all. Not only do women make up half the population, but women give birth, nurture life and are the backbone of many families. We should all, as humans, invest in women’s health.