A doctor is the one person who can legitimately touch your body. You may not allow another man to handle you the way a doctor does. Of course it is fine, because it’s in the interest of your health after all. But then, for some a just being a doctor is not enough reason to allow them to examine you. Which brings us to the question, does the gender of your doctor matter? Is it important to you if your doctor is a male or a female? Aarogya asks the man on the street to find out.

Devina Coorjee: “No, a doctor is a doctor. It does not matter whether the person is a male or a female”.

Ken Coorjee: “I think it makes a difference. I would take the fact into consideration if I was visiting a dentist. If the need arose to pull out a tooth I think a male dentist would be able to do it efficiently. Though a female dentist may be able to do the same but she may have to struggle more during a few procedures”.

Pushpa Singh: “ It depends on the type of problem that I go to the doctor with. If the examination means undressing, then I would be more comfortable with a lady doctor. For any other complaint it does not matter which sex the doctor is.

Anita Kaswar: “It does not matter whether the doctor is a male or a female. Our family physician is a male. He was there for my delivery and I was glad that he was there for me when I needed him. I don’t think I even contemplated being with any other doctor except him”.

Saloni Palit: It does not matter whatever be the problem. My father is himself a doctor. I don’t think I would be shy to go to any doctor”.

Archana Martin: “ A doctor is a doctor. One has to open up to a doctor whatever may be the problem. I do not think it makes a difference”.

Srikant Lokhande: “The medical knowledge the person has, is more important than the gender. I think for men it is not an issue. The only aspect that might raise doubts whether to go to a lady doctor or not is in concern to genital ailments. Besides that I feel the gender does not matter”.

Balasubramaniyam: It does not make a difference whether it is a male or female doctor. One goes to a doctor with a problem and subsequently hope for the remedy. Matters like gender do not effect the capability neither our reliability toward him/ her as a doctor.

Pradeep Agarwal: “The knowledge that the doctor has is more important than the sex of the doctor. The doctor could be of either sex, we would be just as comfortable”.

Ajay Singh: “A doctor is a person who saves lives. We go to them with our problems. He/ she is a rescuer of sorts. It does not matter who the person is as long as you get relief”.

Doctors do have a large role to play in our lives. Some people believe that they play god at times. That kind of responsibility and power vested in one person does make you look upto them and have expectations. It is a tough load to carry and it would be made all the more difficult if their gender would make a difference. Some women and men are shy and the exposure of one’s body, especially to a stranger is felt as embarrassing and even vulnerable. However for others such issues are inconsequential. We asked the man on the street to tell us what they thought . Do let us know what you think and write in to us at

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