One final question before I share your collective pearls of wisdom on talking to your doctor about sex with the American Medical Student Association members gathered at the Disneyland Resort.  I’ll let you know how the panel goes, but rest assured you have just made a tremendous impact on the future of sexual medicine and made the world a safer place for patients to discuss sexual health with doctors.

Today’s question:  If you could give your doctor one piece of advice on discussing sexual health concerns, what would it be?

If you can’t be honest with me, I can’t help you.  I tell all my clients that at the beginning of the very first session.  I strive to create a non-judgmental environment where people will feel comfortable sharing extremely private information.  Likewise, it is your doctor’s responsibility to make sure that you are treated with respect and to take your sexual health concerns seriously.  The doctor-patient relationship is a two-way street though.  You are responsible for being honest about your sexuality so that your doctor can do his/her job and make important decisions about your health care.

The students gathered at the annual conference of the American Medical Student Association want to know what they need to do to make you feel safe and as comfortable as possible talking about your sexual concerns and what mistakes they need to avoid that might jeopardize your willingness to give them all the information they need to help you.  I’ll tell them, if you tell me.

Today’s question:  Have you ever withheld information about your sexual behavior from your doctor?  What kept you from being completely honest?

Medical education relies heavily on the concept of preceptorships where each student shadows a physician observing the day-to-day practice of various medical specialties.  Experienced doctors can serve as models of professional, compassionate care, but they can also pass on bad habits.

When I speak to the “baby” docs at the American Medical Student Association’s 60th Annual Convention, I want to be able to them give examples of what works and what doesn’t work, when it comes to addressing sexual health, from a patient’s perspective.  Your voice has been the missing puzzle piece in training the next generation of doctors, until now.

Today’s question:  Have you had any positive interactions with a doctor around sexuality?  If so, what made it a good experience?  Describe a negative experience and how it could have been improved.