I've had both primary care and specialist providers of both genders; ditto with physical therapists and nurses. I've had good to excellent relationships and care from most, regardless of gender; the few I've moved quickly to change from have been equally divided as to gender - people who just didn't listen to me, or made clear that if I raised questions, they didn't want to waste time with me. One anecdotal observation: both my wife and I have (now and formerly) primary care provided by nurse practitioners (all women; in practices overseen by MDs/DOs), and have found them on the whole more willing to spend time and pursue options than the primary-care MDs we've had.
The only healthcare provider that I prefer to be a woman is my gynecologist. This is not because of modesty, but rather because I think another woman is more likely to truly understand some of the issues unique to women's health in that arena.
Because I’m a librarian who has worked for pharma companies, I read the primary source medical literature. I had been on Fosamax for around 10 years when the femur fracture reports started to show up in journal articles in the 2009-2011 time frame. I brought the articles in to my GYN and said it was time for a drug holiday. He agreed. When I went back on bisphosphonates as my dexa scans slid into osteoporosis from osteopenia around four years later, I went on Reclast hoping that once a year was a safer dosage than once a month. I stopped Reclast during the pandemic and also because of extensive dental work since jaw necrosis is also an adverse effect of bisphosphonates. Now I am on a twice a year Prolia injection. Weighing the pros and cons of medications is much more difficult and more likely to result in seriously negative consequences when information regarding adverse effects is deliberately withheld and not properly reflected on PPIs which is all that most patients have access to. Pharma companies need to be held accountable in that regard.
I usually opt for a female doctor because there may be folks who still avoid women doctors so I try to provide balance. In addition,
2) I recently chose a woman cardiologist and a woman gynecologist, and in both cases I have had conversations that feel more directly relevant to my health as a female. These women doctors have offered more tailored information to address my current status.
Interestingly enough I have had two female doctors who I left as I found them to not “listen” or validate my feelings. I am so fortunate to have health insurance and to live in a city with an incredible medical center. If a primary physician does not “listen” then I look for another doctor. That being said, I listen to them and we form a connection and form a partnership in my health, knowing they are the informed experts!
For a primary care doctor I prefer someone who shares my perspectives such as being a cis female parent and priorities such as being a runner and vegetarian. A sense of humor is valuable as well! I’ve received the best support and advice from my current PCP who relates/identifies/sympathizes rather than advises “from a distance.” For me, it’s not gender per se but an ability to see and empathize with my situation.
I tam a retired RN and have had good to excellent relationships with most practitioners regardless of gender. More important than gender for me is the practioner’s ability and willingness to answer my questions and make a treatment plan with me as an equal partner. Living in rural VT , choices are limited so I am thankful to have found good practitioners to work with me.
Man or woman is not a consideration for me, have had both good and poor providers who were women or men. I tend to stick with primary care doctors and have had only three in the past 25 years. In looking back on my care (two children, colonoscopies, 2x back surgery, MI) seems like there were few women doctors or NP/PAs. Is this common? Currently only my ophthalmologist is female, and as an old person I see a number of docs.
I have always felt more comfortable with a woman doctor. Besides that, I was sexually assaulted in Atlanta in 1979 by my Primary care male physician at an appointment where I learned that I was pregnant. There was no nurse in the room. Think, (Hand that rocked the cradle) movie! I was traumatized! I feel like that trauma affected the fetus of my daughter as she has had many health issues. I contacted an attorney but he said it would be my word against the Doctor and also would have caused me more trauma during my pregnancy.
Missed the closing time for the poll... again, maybe extend the 'voting period'.
For myself the gender of the HCP is somewhat important. This said I have practiced almost 40 yr's in a profession with a very large % of women & if have great respect for my colleagues.
As an 82 year old woman I’ve had different perspectives on this throughout the yrs. As a young person I bought into the idea that men were more confident, better trained and less distractible. As I grew older I started feeling more comfortable with women physicians and felt that gender didn’t matter. In my later years, although I’ve had wonderful male doctors, I think with all else equal,I feel more comfortable with women, especially women surgeons who in my lexperience seem more attuned to the emotional components involved.
My primary care physician is male. He’s been my doctor for 30+/- years. He was going to retire which made me think about my next (last) primary care including gender. Never reached a conclusion because didn’t have to. We’ve known each other so long it’s hard to consider the gender aspect of the relationship.
I’ve seen a female orthopedic hand surgeon for recurrent trigger finger, etc. hand problems and also see a female rheumatologist as part of trying to find the roots of the recurrent problems. I find both are superior at conveying empathy and equally effective at treatment and informing. The prior male hand surgeon I saw was also highly skilled in treatment but less so at the human side of the job.
In my profession I had a lot of highly skilled female colleagues who I always thought made the profession better as they became more prominent, and I’ve always had a lot of good female friends as well as a caring female spouse who is whip smart and incredibly talented. All of which is to say I might have some bias in my preference for female doctors. But, I pretty sure my next primary care physician may be female.
At 65 I’ve seen various GPs and specialists over the years. During a rough period following a surgical menopause at 44 my female GP left practice and I switched to a male GP. I received excellent care from him. I had anticipated getting lesser care from a male for menopausal issues but he was fantastic.
My mom recently had her third stroke and it was the first one where she was a candidate for the clot busting drug. It worked very well for her and for a short time even minimized the aphasia she had from the second stroke. They told me that if it had not been caught early she likely would not be speaking at all since it affected the Weineke(?) area of the brain.
I've had both primary care and specialist providers of both genders; ditto with physical therapists and nurses. I've had good to excellent relationships and care from most, regardless of gender; the few I've moved quickly to change from have been equally divided as to gender - people who just didn't listen to me, or made clear that if I raised questions, they didn't want to waste time with me. One anecdotal observation: both my wife and I have (now and formerly) primary care provided by nurse practitioners (all women; in practices overseen by MDs/DOs), and have found them on the whole more willing to spend time and pursue options than the primary-care MDs we've had.
The only healthcare provider that I prefer to be a woman is my gynecologist. This is not because of modesty, but rather because I think another woman is more likely to truly understand some of the issues unique to women's health in that arena.
Because I’m a librarian who has worked for pharma companies, I read the primary source medical literature. I had been on Fosamax for around 10 years when the femur fracture reports started to show up in journal articles in the 2009-2011 time frame. I brought the articles in to my GYN and said it was time for a drug holiday. He agreed. When I went back on bisphosphonates as my dexa scans slid into osteoporosis from osteopenia around four years later, I went on Reclast hoping that once a year was a safer dosage than once a month. I stopped Reclast during the pandemic and also because of extensive dental work since jaw necrosis is also an adverse effect of bisphosphonates. Now I am on a twice a year Prolia injection. Weighing the pros and cons of medications is much more difficult and more likely to result in seriously negative consequences when information regarding adverse effects is deliberately withheld and not properly reflected on PPIs which is all that most patients have access to. Pharma companies need to be held accountable in that regard.
I usually opt for a female doctor because there may be folks who still avoid women doctors so I try to provide balance. In addition,
2) I recently chose a woman cardiologist and a woman gynecologist, and in both cases I have had conversations that feel more directly relevant to my health as a female. These women doctors have offered more tailored information to address my current status.
Interestingly enough I have had two female doctors who I left as I found them to not “listen” or validate my feelings. I am so fortunate to have health insurance and to live in a city with an incredible medical center. If a primary physician does not “listen” then I look for another doctor. That being said, I listen to them and we form a connection and form a partnership in my health, knowing they are the informed experts!
For a primary care doctor I prefer someone who shares my perspectives such as being a cis female parent and priorities such as being a runner and vegetarian. A sense of humor is valuable as well! I’ve received the best support and advice from my current PCP who relates/identifies/sympathizes rather than advises “from a distance.” For me, it’s not gender per se but an ability to see and empathize with my situation.
I tam a retired RN and have had good to excellent relationships with most practitioners regardless of gender. More important than gender for me is the practioner’s ability and willingness to answer my questions and make a treatment plan with me as an equal partner. Living in rural VT , choices are limited so I am thankful to have found good practitioners to work with me.
Man or woman is not a consideration for me, have had both good and poor providers who were women or men. I tend to stick with primary care doctors and have had only three in the past 25 years. In looking back on my care (two children, colonoscopies, 2x back surgery, MI) seems like there were few women doctors or NP/PAs. Is this common? Currently only my ophthalmologist is female, and as an old person I see a number of docs.
Fosamax fractures, huh? Paging Dr. Google …
Maybe the strokes were bleeds and not clots
I have always felt more comfortable with a woman doctor. Besides that, I was sexually assaulted in Atlanta in 1979 by my Primary care male physician at an appointment where I learned that I was pregnant. There was no nurse in the room. Think, (Hand that rocked the cradle) movie! I was traumatized! I feel like that trauma affected the fetus of my daughter as she has had many health issues. I contacted an attorney but he said it would be my word against the Doctor and also would have caused me more trauma during my pregnancy.
Missed the closing time for the poll... again, maybe extend the 'voting period'.
For myself the gender of the HCP is somewhat important. This said I have practiced almost 40 yr's in a profession with a very large % of women & if have great respect for my colleagues.
As an 82 year old woman I’ve had different perspectives on this throughout the yrs. As a young person I bought into the idea that men were more confident, better trained and less distractible. As I grew older I started feeling more comfortable with women physicians and felt that gender didn’t matter. In my later years, although I’ve had wonderful male doctors, I think with all else equal,I feel more comfortable with women, especially women surgeons who in my lexperience seem more attuned to the emotional components involved.
My primary care physician is male. He’s been my doctor for 30+/- years. He was going to retire which made me think about my next (last) primary care including gender. Never reached a conclusion because didn’t have to. We’ve known each other so long it’s hard to consider the gender aspect of the relationship.
I’ve seen a female orthopedic hand surgeon for recurrent trigger finger, etc. hand problems and also see a female rheumatologist as part of trying to find the roots of the recurrent problems. I find both are superior at conveying empathy and equally effective at treatment and informing. The prior male hand surgeon I saw was also highly skilled in treatment but less so at the human side of the job.
In my profession I had a lot of highly skilled female colleagues who I always thought made the profession better as they became more prominent, and I’ve always had a lot of good female friends as well as a caring female spouse who is whip smart and incredibly talented. All of which is to say I might have some bias in my preference for female doctors. But, I pretty sure my next primary care physician may be female.
At 65 I’ve seen various GPs and specialists over the years. During a rough period following a surgical menopause at 44 my female GP left practice and I switched to a male GP. I received excellent care from him. I had anticipated getting lesser care from a male for menopausal issues but he was fantastic.
My mom recently had her third stroke and it was the first one where she was a candidate for the clot busting drug. It worked very well for her and for a short time even minimized the aphasia she had from the second stroke. They told me that if it had not been caught early she likely would not be speaking at all since it affected the Weineke(?) area of the brain.