Secretary Medical Undressed

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Americans are often shocked when visiting a doctor in France and discovering how little privacy one has when it comes to disrobing. I used to be one of these Americans shocked by the medical nudity in France, but now I know better — although that didn’t stop me from embarrassing myself last week at the physical therapist. Is it normal to be naked at the doctor?
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com / KANOWA
Last Thursday was a normal day. I had a 3:15 p.m. appointment at the physical therapist for a persistent knot in my back along with a few other issues (it’s totally cheap to go, so why not) and learned right away that it’s best to wear a loose shirt that gives him easy access to my back if I don’t want to strip down up top.
But before we get to today’s little embarrassment (for me, not him) about medical nudity, I have to take you back to my first chest X-ray in France where I got my first taste of how things are done at the doctor in France.
You see, upon arriving in France, all newbies have to have a medical examination including a chest X-ray to check for TB before being issued a permanent residency card . In the U.S., a simple X-ray would involve going into a room with a tech, being told to take off your top when the tech is out of the room and changing into a gown. Then the tech would come back and knock to see if you’re ready. And then escort you to an empty room wherever the X-ray is being taken.
But not so in France. Naked in front of the doctor seems to be the norm.
I was escorted to a room, told to disrobe right in front of her and then told again to remove my bra as well with her standing right there. I wasn’t given a gown or anything to cover up with. Nude medical exams are the norm here. The doctor wasn’t ogling me or anything but there was no privacy.
Then I followed her to the X-ray machine which involved a short walk parading topless in front of her male colleagues who were luckily too busy to notice the prude American shuffling along with her hands over her chest.
I learned right away how easy-breezy an X-ray is. And for the record, at the gynecologist , you get completely naked right in front of the doctor, don’t get a gown to put on and do not get a sheet to cover your private area during the examination. I guess the French are used to being naked at the doctor, but I’m not. A nude medical exam isn’t a bad thing per se, but the medical nudity comfort level here is a cultural difference I’m not really digging.
And even at my regular doctor (who is pretty young and someone I embarrass myself often in front of, but we’re cool now, it’s OK. I think.) before getting a referral to the physical therapist, he had to examine my back. He asked me to take off my top and I wasn’t sure if he meant my bra too so I asked. And he chuckled and just said sit down and he rolled up my tank top instead. I didn’t want to appear too forward by getting too naked at the doctor or look like a big American prude by sitting there in my bra.
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com / kryzhov
What was I supposed to do in that situation? See how you start to overthink these things? OK anyway, back to today’s story…
I arrive at the physical therapist’s office, which is part of his home converted to an office, ready for my sauna session which is supposed to loosen up my muscles. The private 1-person sauna is in an adjoining room that is sectioned off from his office via a door. In the sauna room, there’s a sliding cloth partition where you can change and get into the sauna area (note: sauna area itself has a clear porthole window you can see through from the outside).
He shows me how to work the controls and tells me I might as well go in naked since I have pants and a sweater on and I can’t go in with my winter clothes on. Luckily I had my sports bra that I kept on but decided to head in sans underwear. The sauna area is perfectly private and I had a towel to lie down on so it was sanitary and cleaned after each client.
Everything went well and when my time was up, I expected a beep or something to signal to me that it was time to leisurely get dressed and meet the therapist on the other side of the partition. But no. I hear a knock at the sauna door (my side of the partitioned area) five minutes before the buzzer and see his face looking in through the porthole window to see how I made out.
I wasn’t dressed yet because I didn’t know the session was over! Talk about an embarrassing naked medical moment!
I didn’t have my glasses on but jumped up so fast I hit my head on the top of the sauna. He must have thought I was nuts, but usually a closed partition means do not enter — especially when the buzzer hadn’t gone off yet!
He knew I wasn’t clothed! Then he proceeds to stand there with his appointment book scheduling our session for next week as I rush to pull on my pants and socks.
The physical therapist is professional and has never done anything to make me question his judgment, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little shocked he barged right in on me.
The norms in France never cease to amaze me especially with all this medical nudity stuff because it’s new to me. Up until this point, I thought an embarrassing skin exam back in the US would have topped my list of embarrassing doctor exams. I guess I’ve learned my lesson for next time.
Now to set the record straight on being naked at the doctor, I don’t have any problems with nudity. I’m not religious and I’m not put off by nudity in the least, but when you’re at the doctor’s office and already feeling vulnerable, alone, with a male doctor who is older than you in a position of power, maybe it wouldn’t kill anyone to let the patient hang on to some of their dignity via a gown, or get undressed in private or even a simple knock before entering. Just a suggestion on how patients might be more comfortable if they’re required to be naked in front of the doctor.
Chalking this one up to cultural differences. At this point, it’s a cultural difference that I don’t think I’ll ever get used to, but as long as I’m living in France, I’d better learn! Here, it’s quite common to have a naked medical exam.
Have you ever had an embarrassing physical experience like this? Does being naked at the doctor make you uncomfortable?
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It’s my first comment on your blog, but I have to say this: I don’t think it’s a cultural difference, acting like that for a doctor is not normal (I’m French).
I lived in a small town in France, and when I went to the hospital, at the gynecologist or at my regular doctor, they don’t look at me when I get undressed.
For an X-ray, I have a little room where I’m alone and I can get undressed, then the tech is asking if I’m done from the other side of the door, and then I can get in the room where I get my X-ray.
I don’t feel confortable being naked, even if they’re professionals. I don’t want to be naked if I don’t have to, and even then, they could give us a gown or something.
You don’t have to get used to this one if you don’t want to
Hi there Maite, happy to have you here! And thank you for weighing in. I don’t have another physical therapist/sauna experience to compare this to, so not sure if him peeking in the window to see how I was doing was normal. I mean he wasn’t ogling me or anything — just efficiently making use of his time I guess to get my next appointment in the books while I was getting dressed. I am 100% with you that gowns are cool and would be appreciated. I mean even if it’s just for the patient to feel more comfortable, it’s worth it!
I’m glad to hear from Maite because after reading that, Diane, I don’t think I’d ever go to a doctor in France!
Well, maybe it’s not normal for a doctor to ogle you (in any part of the world), but in France they definitely do NOT give you anything to cover up with… no dignity I tell ya! haha
It does happen even in the States. Being very light I was
given a COMPLETE mole check. The nurse and doctor
are both females. The nurse took my BP and weighed me
after she told me to take everything off. Then I was walked
down the hall to the exam room. So embarrassing! Naked
in front of all those people!
I know that feeling, as the same thing happened to me at a skin doctor specialist. The doctor was a female and the medical staff were all females too. Yes, I had to get totally naked and was somewhat embarrassed as a guy while the nurse and and female watched my whole male medical plight, especially when I was in men’s spandex sportswear with a healthy involuntary erection and slowly undressing layer by layer til finally completely naked. The female specialist escorted me to the examination and x ray rooms without a gown while others saw my naked plight, but it wasn’t so bad, as they were all naked young patients without gowns being treated for possible skin cancer too.
I wouldn’t worry about being naked or undressing in front of a French doctor or French nurse, as they as they look at your anatomy as a natural part of being a human, male or female. I remember wearing rather snug, warm outer snowsuit and leotards underneath. I had to undress completely for a medical exam and the doctor was a French lady and her nurse was French also. As an American, male I was somewhat embarrassed when told all clothes have to come off. Despite being somewhat embarrassed and shy, both her and the nurse helped me out of my warm, snug and well fitting men’s kiddie style outer snowsuit snow including those sexy feeling leotard and tights. It did take some time stripping it all off,on a real cold day, but in the end They made me feel very natural being naked with them.
I had the same x-ray experience in Belgium when I was doing the paperwork for my work permit and a chest x-ray was required. The techs were two young guys and I was completely mortified! I did the same arms-over-chest-shuffle to the xray machine and beat it out of there afterwards as fast as possible!
I know they’re medical professionals and all but still, I just felt exposed and awkward. Sorry you had the same experience. Not fun!
Hi Diane, I have a story with x-rays but here in the US. Being French, it surprised us.
My daughter hurt her ankle so my wife took her to a medical center. After the doctor looked at her, he asked my wife if she wanted an x-ray to be done. She was surprised because in France, the doctor would do it if s/he thought it was necessary and you would be covered by the “sécurité sociale”. But here in the US, I guess, because it could have a significant cost to you even if you have a medical coverage, you are asked if you want to make this kind of expense.
Hi there, love hearing from French people in the US to get the flip side of things. Yes, the doctor absolutely checked because of insurance reasons and cost. It wasn’t a life threatening injury so you have the right to decline the x-ray even if the doctor recommended you get on. Not sure of x-ray costs but it’s not $30 or anything. Some health plans in the US don’t have ER coverage or coverage has to be pre-approved so the doctor was just covering his butt. Did you get the x-ray? Hope your daughter is OK!
Hi, yes we got it and my daughter is ok. Over here, sometimes, it feels like health is just like any other business like car maintenance for example. You decide what you want to fix, how much you want to pay, where to go to get the best service for your money among the competition.
Thanks for the heads up Diane. Suffice it to say I’m NOT looking forward to my initial medical exam… and the ones to follow!
Aside from the surprise of not being given a gown to cover up with, everything went smoothly and was efficient and well run. So you have that to look forward to, I hope!
Hello Diane,
I would suggest you read http://www.pol-editeur.com/index.php?spec=livre&ISBN=978-2-86744-603-0 .
French are usually accepting too much from doctors in general, and some -as Martin Winckler- doctors propose to have a more balanced relationship with doctors (and it could extend to physical therapists).
Book in french are ok for you I guess, this one is usually well appreciated by French Women…
French girl here: my obgyn has a little “paravent” to undress behind. I usually wear a long button down which I keep on during examinations and helps me feel less exposed. If you’re uncomfortable, you can also keep your top on, then switch and wear your bottoms – that’s what I did on my first visit. Although there is more of norm towards undressing, a good doctor should be understanding and accommodate your modesty to some extent.
I also don’t think the doctor should barge in on you like – try say something like “j’arrive tout de suite” or “est-ce qu’on pourrait en parler à votre bureau?”, and if he doesn’t get the clue, don’t be afraid to clearly state you are uncomfortable. He should understand that, and if he doesn’t, change doctors! Eesh.
A long button down is a great suggestion. And I agree that a good doctor should be understanding and accommodate different customs. I mean if I was raised to have doctors just stand there (and not have privacy) while getting dressed, I’d be used to it, but that’s not how things are the US. So I guess I’ll just take my chances and try to adapt to the doctor culture in France. And if it’s out of control, I’ll definitely change doctors. Thanks for weighing in!
Iv’e never been to a doctor in France, but have a female doctor treats her patients, the same way as in France. She will stay in the exam room while I’ll slowly strip off all my warm snug outfit with leotard and tights underneath them. This a long, slow process for me me and she seems to enjoy seeing my medical plight begin as a male, but does help me undressing completely, especially during the cold winter months when I’m wearing layers of warm and snug winter outer attire and ballet style underwear. Both the female doctor and lady nurse are very caring, gentle and professional with me with all my clothes and leotards all off and totally naked while being examined by the lady doctor with her nurse’s help. It’s like being in a French Medical facility.
Yikes, never had an experience like this and I’d rather not! Interesting to read the comments indicating this should not be the norm. Glad to hear that and I would expect doctors to be sensitive to this situation. If not, I’d want to find another doctor.
WEll maybe the norm is not walking past the divider curtain and peeking in, but it is normal to not be given anything to cover up with or have privacy while you’re undressing at the doc. It’s 100% the cultural norm in France.
What kind of doctors are you seeing, lady? xD
When I had to get the chest X-Ray done, I didn’t speak french, and apparently the lady told me to take off my shirt and bra, but I didn’t understand, and then she put me in a little room. Unsure of what to do, I waited until they opened the door where the woman gestured that I should take off my shirt and bra, but she shut the door to allow me my privacy. I’ve never felt like french doctors weren’t sensitive to my vulnerability, and I’m grateful for it.
It’s difficult to say no to someone you see as a professional, but they see so many naked bodies they’ve become desensitized to it. Maybe a little reminder wouldn’t hurt. I definitely would be the kind of person to say something if I wasn’t comfortable with a situation.
Haha that’s the funny thing! I usually have no problem speaking up but I think in the moment at the phys therapist, I was more concerned with getting myself covered up and kind of froze, then focused on finding my pants instead of yelling at him to go away. And for the x-ray, I guess I was trying to respect French customs and just went w/the flow of not having any gown or anything. Mortifying!
A very interesting article. I’m from the UK but I worked as a doctor in France for two years and I agree 100% that attitudes regarding patient modesty are completely different in France. During one of my very first consults, a very attractive young woman came in with a knee problem. She was wearing jeans, so I asked her to show me. I was shocked when she started removing her top! When I asked her why, she said her previous doctors always required her to strip to her bra & pants for any examination – so they could do a general inspection. I’m pretty sure I felt more awkward than she did! There’s certainly a much more relaxed view of nudity and gowns are typically only provided to people admitted into hospital.
That being said, I would encourage you to be vigilant. I mainly worked in a hospital but I also spent a few months at a private clinic doing general consults and a few of the male doctors I worked with were very creepy! Undressing at an appointment almost regardless of your problem is fairly normal in some European countries like France & Germany, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it, nor should you. When I asked one colleague about this he laughed and said something like, ‘Only if they’re pretty, then it’s a nice treat’. The thing that shocked me the most was regarding women coming in for contraceptive prescriptions. There are no specific guidelines for prescribing the pill in France, so the direction of the appointment is at the doctor’s discretion. I can tell you for a fact that with certain doctors, ‘unattractive’ women just got a blood pressure check, whereas the ‘hot girls’ got the works – breast exams & pelvic exams.
What surprised me in your blog was your comment re the gynaecologist. Did the doctor make you strip completely naked (no bra & pants) in front of them? If so, that’s not normal. You should be allowed to keep your bra on (apart from during the breast exam) and be given a sheet.
Obviously I don’t want to scare you and 90% of doctors wouldn’t do anything inappropriate but I’d advise you to not take it for granted. Sorry for the long reply!
Hi Dr. M, thank you for your insight! Whenever doing anything in France I always try to balance my cultural biases with the polite French way and have to say that at the doctor, I get kind of flustered. I don’t want to be that prude American but also am not comfortable with how everything is done here. Even just seeing the doctor greet me himself, in normal street clothes, was a bit of a shock. No nurse, nothing. It doesn’t surprise me that some of the doctors are a little bit perverted, had a chuckle at that, but I wonder how many just like to look versus those whose intentions could be considered criminal. There are bad people everywhere so I don’t hold anything against French doctors but since it’s the only country I’ve had experience with outside the U.S., it does give me a lot to think about and compare.
Going forward, I think I’m going to refrain from doing anything I feel uncomfortable with regardless of what’s normal in France. If I want to cover up, I’ll cover up and if a doctor is weird, I won’t go back. About the gyno, I mentioned the no sheet thing based on others’ experiences and they’ve scared me from going to the gyno here (but I should). It seems to be the norm to just get undressed in front of the doctor but I’m drawing the line there. I like privacy! And as I said above, without a nurse in the room, it seems strange that more French women don’t accuse doctors (either rightly or wrongly) of inappropriate behavior and sue. Happens all the time in the US, hence the nurse being in the room. I’d love to read a copy of the French code of et
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