Midwifery in the Victorian age
"Modesty rules!" by The Mother's Handbook. I can recommend the whole Nefarious History of Motherhood (linked to her collection of entries).
While the author (a doctor, in case you wonder) states that they "were taught gynecology exams-on living, breathing, unfallen female medical student volunteers" in present times, I must regretfully say that we (in Germany) are not. We had a dummy made of leather to cop a feel (and it felt nice btw.) and watched a birth video. In many places they don't even allow interested medical students (not even females) to observe a routine check, "because of privacy". Well, think about that privacy when you as a female patient get to be the new doc's first patient EVER... won't you wish he or she had actually learned whatever he/she'll be attempting to fiddle around in your vagina?
My own gyn. doc made his first and only delivery as a student in Africa. Here, they don't actually teach you anything useful in your study, the only useful things you really learn in the practical work experiences that you yourself choose and set up (and no, you don't have to do much if you don't want). A friend and emergency doc once had an emergency delivery - without ever having dealt with deliveries prior. He managed, thanks to being book-wise and a generally great, reasonable and down-to-earth, cool-headed guy, but others might have failed (it was one of those emergencies that included sticking a rescue service guy's arm intravaginal to stop the bleeding, a fucking major emergency).
Our medical education seriously sucks. Maybe it's better in other cities, but I don't think so. I learn(ed) a lot of acute stuff by doing hospitations and voluntary practicals, but only the minority of med students does (no time nor money and partially no will to do it). I won't even start getting agitated about the fact that no one here bothers to teach students the ECG decently (for heart diagnosis in very short). Basically, there are elementary, trivial yet highly practical things that students must have learn by the time of their examination, but don't really get taught! This is something the States really seem to be better at.
End of tiny!rant.
While the author (a doctor, in case you wonder) states that they "were taught gynecology exams-on living, breathing, unfallen female medical student volunteers" in present times, I must regretfully say that we (in Germany) are not. We had a dummy made of leather to cop a feel (and it felt nice btw.) and watched a birth video. In many places they don't even allow interested medical students (not even females) to observe a routine check, "because of privacy". Well, think about that privacy when you as a female patient get to be the new doc's first patient EVER... won't you wish he or she had actually learned whatever he/she'll be attempting to fiddle around in your vagina?
My own gyn. doc made his first and only delivery as a student in Africa. Here, they don't actually teach you anything useful in your study, the only useful things you really learn in the practical work experiences that you yourself choose and set up (and no, you don't have to do much if you don't want). A friend and emergency doc once had an emergency delivery - without ever having dealt with deliveries prior. He managed, thanks to being book-wise and a generally great, reasonable and down-to-earth, cool-headed guy, but others might have failed (it was one of those emergencies that included sticking a rescue service guy's arm intravaginal to stop the bleeding, a fucking major emergency).
Our medical education seriously sucks. Maybe it's better in other cities, but I don't think so. I learn(ed) a lot of acute stuff by doing hospitations and voluntary practicals, but only the minority of med students does (no time nor money and partially no will to do it). I won't even start getting agitated about the fact that no one here bothers to teach students the ECG decently (for heart diagnosis in very short). Basically, there are elementary, trivial yet highly practical things that students must have learn by the time of their examination, but don't really get taught! This is something the States really seem to be better at.
End of tiny!rant.