Doctors can be your best friend or worst nightmare, depending on how much you tell him. It can also be one of the most awkward situations you will be dealing with if you have some modesty issues. This is the opportunity to start a great relationship with a medical professional, and should be based on truth rather than locker room myths.
[Interestingly, this article applies well to girls as well. Just switch all pronouns to their opposite and replace all mentions of "mother" with "father", or keep them the same depending on your situation.]
Let's deal with the moment of awkwardness first. You may need to tell your mom that you need a new doctor, and that that doctor needs to be a he. Odds are good that up until now your doctor has been a pediatric doctor, and most likely a woman. Nothing wrong with this, but odds are you are going to feel a little weird taking your clothes off in front a woman and talking about health issues with a woman. If that doesn't phase you, cool; that shows a commendable degree of self-confidence.
For others, however, you may need to have a conversation with your mother about changing doctors. You do have a right to feel comfortable with your doctor, so if you would feel more comfortable with a male doctor, now is the time to speak up. You need to emphasize that it has nothing to do with your lack of confidence in her skills and experience, just that you would feel more comfortable with a male doctor. While this can be hard to discuss, especially if your mother is a hard-core feminist, it is nonetheless an area where you need to stand up for yourself. Your health needs to take priority, and you need to discuss things with a doctor you are comfortable with, so this is a conversation worth having.
That said, keep in mind that if you have any questions about your health, no matter how minor they may seem to you, are worth bringing up. Stuff you may may ignore may be a sign of a bigger problem. You are also going to have questions; now is the time to ask those questions rather than in a locker room. A locker room is a great place to change and maybe grab a shower; it is a lousy place to ask health questions. Think about that for a second: The kids your own age are going through the same thing you are and have the same level of medical experience, so why are you asking major questions of them when you have access to a guy who went to school for a decade or more to answer those questions, so why do you trust the kids over that guy?
You're going to find that as long as you ask honest questions of your doctor, you will get honest answers. The relationship is always going to be dependent on you, and as long as you respect that relationship you should be have a friendship that keeps you healthy for a long time.
[Interestingly, this article applies well to girls as well. Just switch all pronouns to their opposite and replace all mentions of "mother" with "father", or keep them the same depending on your situation.]
Let's deal with the moment of awkwardness first. You may need to tell your mom that you need a new doctor, and that that doctor needs to be a he. Odds are good that up until now your doctor has been a pediatric doctor, and most likely a woman. Nothing wrong with this, but odds are you are going to feel a little weird taking your clothes off in front a woman and talking about health issues with a woman. If that doesn't phase you, cool; that shows a commendable degree of self-confidence.
For others, however, you may need to have a conversation with your mother about changing doctors. You do have a right to feel comfortable with your doctor, so if you would feel more comfortable with a male doctor, now is the time to speak up. You need to emphasize that it has nothing to do with your lack of confidence in her skills and experience, just that you would feel more comfortable with a male doctor. While this can be hard to discuss, especially if your mother is a hard-core feminist, it is nonetheless an area where you need to stand up for yourself. Your health needs to take priority, and you need to discuss things with a doctor you are comfortable with, so this is a conversation worth having.
That said, keep in mind that if you have any questions about your health, no matter how minor they may seem to you, are worth bringing up. Stuff you may may ignore may be a sign of a bigger problem. You are also going to have questions; now is the time to ask those questions rather than in a locker room. A locker room is a great place to change and maybe grab a shower; it is a lousy place to ask health questions. Think about that for a second: The kids your own age are going through the same thing you are and have the same level of medical experience, so why are you asking major questions of them when you have access to a guy who went to school for a decade or more to answer those questions, so why do you trust the kids over that guy?
You're going to find that as long as you ask honest questions of your doctor, you will get honest answers. The relationship is always going to be dependent on you, and as long as you respect that relationship you should be have a friendship that keeps you healthy for a long time.
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