Unauthorized gyno exams by medical students common: report
A woman with suspected cervical cancer was given a gynaecological exam without her knowledge by medical students at a hospital in Gothenburg in western Sweden, reported Aftonbladet newspaper.
The woman was unconscious under anesthetic during the procedure at Östra Hospital in Gothenburg, when several students went into the room to examine her genital area.
The patient was not informed of the exam either before or after, nor was it recorded in her chart.
The head of the medical programme has confirmed the incident and has said that he will take action against the doctor responsible, since the patient must always give consent.
An anonymous source told Aftonbladet that it is common for students to perform gynaecological examinations without the patient's consent. "This occurs systematically," the source said.
Christian Munthe, professor in practical philosophy and an expert in medical ethics, said it is likely that the phenomenon occurs at all university hospitals as a result of an outdated culture.
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The woman was unconscious under anesthetic during the procedure at Östra Hospital in Gothenburg, when several students went into the room to examine her genital area.
The patient was not informed of the exam either before or after, nor was it recorded in her chart.
The head of the medical programme has confirmed the incident and has said that he will take action against the doctor responsible, since the patient must always give consent.
An anonymous source told Aftonbladet that it is common for students to perform gynaecological examinations without the patient's consent. "This occurs systematically," the source said.
Christian Munthe, professor in practical philosophy and an expert in medical ethics, said it is likely that the phenomenon occurs at all university hospitals as a result of an outdated culture.
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