In a field traditionally dominated by male providers, diversity is not just an asset – in my experience, it’s essential for improving patient outcomes. As a woman specializing in men’s health, I knew I’d face unique challenges, but the opportunities have far surpassed those challenges.

In this article, I’ll share some of the insights and strategies that have helped me break down stereotypes, build trust, and enhance the patient experience in meaningful ways.

Let’s get started.

First impressions

When people ask, “What’s a typical patient response when you walk in the room?” I’m happy to tell them I see fewer surprised looks these days than when I was in training. In residency, because most of my attendings were male, the patients expected to see a man walk in the room rather than a 20-something-year-old woman. This initial surprise could sometimes create an unexpected barrier to trust.

I took the opportunity to dedicate the first part of every patient encounter to improve comfort and develop trust. This is how I took control of my patient’s first impression of me.

Recognizing this, I took this opportunity to dedicate the first part of every patient encounter to doing whatever I could to improve comfort and develop trust with the patient. This was the only way I knew how to take control of my patient’s first impression of me. Doing this helped me establish credibility, set the stage for effective communication, and it allowed my patients to feel at ease for the rest of the appointment.

After training, when I was building my men’s health practice at the University of Iowa and now at Prime Institute, I curated my digital footprint as my new first impression. My goal was and is to make it easy for people to find me online before they ever set foot in my office. I want them to see my face, hear my voice, and understand my approach to care so they can determine prior to calling my office if they have an interest in meeting with me. Several patients have traveled long distances to see me specifically because they appreciated my online content.

For me, this isn’t just marketing; it’s about creating a bridge to connection and eliminating the “unknown” factor that might otherwise be a barrier to peace of mind.

Asking questions for the sake of understanding

Because I don’t have the same anatomy as my patients, I ask a lot of follow-up questions for the sake of understanding their symptoms and responses to gauge the effectiveness of interventions.

For example, if a patient reports benefit from using a vacuum erection device, I ask them in what ways they feel the pump has improved their symptoms, as well as for tips and tricks I can share with my other patients on how they’ve optimized use of their device.

Because I don’t have the same anatomy as my patients, I ask a lot of follow-up questions

With these patient responses, I’ve been able to create a repository of tips and tricks to share with my other patients. It’s like having a crowd-sourced user manual for treatments, and patients love it.

One particularly helpful tip I’ve been able to share with my patients is about VED usage. Through my conversations, I’ve found that the best protocol for VED use is to pump the device 3 times or for 3 seconds, then pause for 10-seconds to enable proper filling. Then, repeat as needed. This has allowed many of my patients to use a vacuum erection device comfortably.

Defining our roles as women when it comes to men’s health

Early in my career, I wanted to better understand what a woman’s role was in men’s health. I wanted to do this not just for me, but for my patients as well, so I hosted a candid conversation with a group of women to discuss how they perceived men’s health and their own roles in their partners’ well-being.

I remember this conversation vividly because not only was it extremely candid, but the responses I got were eye-opening.

One woman confided, “My husband wants to talk about his prostate with me, and I don’t care. I just want him to take care of his own health. I take care of my health, and I want him to take care of his.”

Another woman mentioned she was glad her son was married and that her daughter-in-law would help navigate his health.

A third woman stated her husband had spoken to their son about his health. When I asked if he actually had or if that was an assumption, she realized it was just an assumption.

These conversations underscored the assumption that men’s health isn’t always prioritized or fully understood, even within their closest relationships.

Men’s health isn’t always prioritized or fully understood, even within their closest relationships

In my practice, I’ve learned that my role has to be clearly defined to avoid similar assumptions of what my patients need. Most of the time, my role is that of a healthcare provider, plain and simple. I’m here to offer expert advice on all aspects of men’s health.

Sometimes, however, my role is to simply listen. Other times, it’s to be a support person and help schedule appointments because that’s what their wife typically does. On occasion, it’s to provide the female perspective. For example, I recently had a male patient during a penile girth enhancement procedure who said, “Just make it look good, so you like how it looks. If you think it looks good, then most women will like how it looks.”

These experiences have taught me that our roles need to be defined and just as dynamic as our life circumstances and relationships.

Butterfly farms

I once had a patient whose friend questioned, “What does she know about men’s health?”

My patient’s response was brilliant: “Well, you own a butterfly farm, and last time I checked, you didn’t have wings.”

Expertise isn’t about personal experience with the anatomy – it’s about knowledge, skill, and empathy. We don’t expect cardiologists to have had heart attacks or oncologists to have battled cancer, so why should men’s health be any different?

Similarly, a woman’s presence in men’s health isn’t limited by personal experience with male anatomy; rather, it’s enhanced by dedication, skill, and a commitment to understanding patients’ needs.

Key Takeaways for Providers

I hope this article helps lend some insight into the importance of gender diversity in Men’s Sexual Health and provides you with ways you can help your patients to better understand their wellness journey. Here are the things I leave you with:

• Invest in First Impressions: Whether in person or online, the first impression matters. Helping patients feel comfortable from the outset can be invaluable for building trust and ensuring a productive patient-provider relationship.
• Ask for Detailed Feedback: Don’t hesitate to ask specific follow-up questions. This helps us to fully understand a patient’s experience and to identify successful practices that can help others.
• Define Your Role with Each Patient: Every patient is different. Depending on what the patient needs be prepared to serve as a trusted expert, a supportive listener, or even a coordinator.

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Interested in discussing the unique perspectives women bring to men’s health? Join the conversation on X to share your experiences and insights. Start a thread with @AmyPearlman1 and @menMD_ today!

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