Urology is considered a surgical specialty and urologists are physicians specialized in different diseases of the urinary tract. People still tend to take a jaundiced view of urologists, considering that they are just for men. This is not true because often women need to see them too, considering that some of these specialists also deal with problems related to the reproductive system of women; they are urogynecologists (gynecologists specialized in bladder problems, the female urinary tract and reproductive system).
Symptoms that force people see a urologist typically include hyperactive bladder, bloody urine, pain or burning during urination, leaking urine and more. Thermiva Houston doctors offer can also help to eliminate other painful symptoms woman deal with after child birth.
Statistics show that there are still very few female urologists although women patients definitely prefer to see women doctors, especially when it comes to delicate issues like these, hence the advantages of female urologists.
What can you do to find a female urologist near you?
First of all, you should ask around; maybe one of your friends and colleagues can provide you a recommendation. Then you should use the basics: the Yellow Pages or the local phone book.
If you cannot find anything, use the online resources: the website of the Society of Women in Urology has more than 300 members and you can check the provided map to locate a female doctor in your area. Alternatively, you can also check your state medical board which provides lists with names of urologists, as well as useful information about their qualifications, education, practice and complaints from patients.
Check at the local hospitals and request the names of the practicing urologists. Not least, talk to your primary physician about your problems and ask for recommendations.
Are patients allowed to request to be consulted by a female urologist?
Patients are allowed to choose their doctors, whenever possible. If they address to medical institutions, they also have the right to be advised on locating a urology female specialists, if this is what they are explicitly looking for, because being comfortable with their doctor is essential for good communication.
Why are female urologists so rare?
Basically, because statistics show that urology continues to be a male-dominated field, in which women started to enter only recently; they still earn less money than men urologists and are often discouraged from pursuing urology.
The good news is that the proportion of female physicians specialized in urology has increased with 10% in the last 25 years, and today one-third of students in urology internships are female. These numbers show that the advantages of female urologists are well-known and appreciated, however, there is definitely a need for a closer examination of income disparities in order to fix them and motivate more women to specialize in urology. Recent statistics show that right now, the annual salaries of men urologists are about $76,000 higher than their female counterparts.
A higher number of women urologists in the field provides not only a wider range of choices for patients, but also helps to address urological issues that have not been properly discussed in the past (for example, urinary incontinence in women).