10 Men Explain Why They Became Gynecologists

The male gynecologist can be a polarizing figure: Some women avoid them as a personal policy, while others actively seek them out. Regardless of your stance, though, they're becoming a rare breed. Nationally, 80% to 90% of people graduating in OB/GYN are women; and at NYU School of Medicine, approximately one out of seven OB/GYN residents are male. But what motivates those who do choose this female-dominated — and female-focused — field?

We asked ten male gynecologists, ages 30 to 70, about how they ended up in the vagina-care business.

"Better patients."
Covering emergency room at 3 a.m. during medical school, I saw a guy sitting on the examining table. I said, “What’s the problem?” He responded, “There’s no problem. My wife thinks I’m having a heart attack. But there’s no problem.” He probably was having a heart attack (I never found out), but the point is … women are better patients than men. They have no qualms about telling us what’s wrong with them, and therefore we can do what we need to do to get them better. With women, it’s like, “Give me the information, and take my advice.” That system works pretty well. And it’s very satisfying to make people better.

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