Please kill me now....how to deal with "Naked" Lab?

dvisser1

I already spoke to the professor about this. His thought is in the real world people don't get to pick perfect patients, so they don't get to pick them in lab either. As for how I feel during this, he could care less.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't really looking for solutions, just venting. I know that I am just going to have to deal with this again. Sorry all.

As brutally direct as that sounds, I have to agree. I know a handful of nurses. I personally have gone through so much first aid training I'm basically just a signature away from being a wilderness first responder. You never get to pick your patients. While I can understand why you don't want to be in such a situation as this, think about it a different way. The people who pair with you will get a better educational experience and be better prepared for entering the medical work force. You've beaten cancer and lost 100 lbs, now you have a chance to help train a stronger class of medical professionals. Be proud of your accomplishments and don't let your weight hold you back.

_Sally_

Fake it! You don't need to be comfortable in your own skin, but I've learned that if you fake it you start to get comfortable. Also wear something that makes you smile. I have a shirt with my dogs face on it. Do I look silly in the shirt? Probably, but just seeing the dumb look on her face makes me smile and feel good. Hang in there, it gets better.

Lots of good replies here.. I don't want to repeat what has already been said, but I think this poster was right on. Fake it 'til you make it is great advice when it comes to gaining confidence and not letting fears and anxieties get the better of you.

When I feel nervous or anxious in a situation, I try to envision how a confident person would feel and how they would behave, and then I "act as if" I was that confident person. Pretty soon the confident attitude becomes a more natural response that you don't even have to think about any more. Have fun with it! Smile! Make a joke to break the ice. If you are exuding an upbeat attitude, it is often contagious.

If you have Showtime, you might also want to watch a documentary that is currently available On Demand. I just saw it last night and it really puts things in perspective. We all have insecurites, and we all need to own our bodies and be proud!

"Naked On The Inside" - Documentary portrait of six people who grapple with the subject of body image, from a San Francisco supermodel obsessing over her perfect physical appearance, to a 350-pound "fat activist," to a legless dancer who falls in love for the first time.

MlleDee

Thank you guys so much for all the thoughtful replies. I am blown away by how supportive everyone has been. I think this board has restored some of my faith in humanity.

Thanks again, I read every single reply, and am truly grateful for all the support. I think I will bookmark this page and come back to reread it right before the lab for a little moral boost!

Hugs to all you wonderful people!

rlwart

I already spoke to the professor about this. His thought is in the real world people don't get to pick perfect patients, so they don't get to pick them in lab either. As for how I feel during this, he could care less.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't really looking for solutions, just venting. I know that I am just going to have to deal with this again. Sorry all.

I totally agree with this, real world people look like you and me, therefore they should be grateful for the chance to experience working with imperfection before it comes up in real life.

You are doing your best here and I am proud of you. Which essentially means nothing because I'm a complete stranger, right? So if other complete strangers think any less, then that too should mean nothing.

ahjenny

Good luck! I had naked lab in PA school about 20 years ago. At the time I was also about 100 pounds overweight. The weeks leading up to donning the gown for my classmates was absolute torture. But about five minute into it everyone was naked (or near naked). And even the skinny people had body issues, oddly, no better or worse than mine.

Somehow it brought everyone closer and was not the nightmare I had been envisioning.

Go in with an open mind. Be ready to talk about your scars. They prove very interesting to a bunch of pre-med pros. Remember that no one is really perfect and everyone has their own demons.


John

I agree with this. There will probably be other people who are uncomfortable in their clothes and having to touch and be touched by others, especially classmates. They might be so far in their own heads that they don't worry about you or how you look. Maybe something you can do, depending on the weather, is wear a tighter fitting tank underneath a looser one, and same with the shorts. The tank underneath can keep your belly covered, incase your outer tank comes up. I did this when I was breastfeeding, and it helped. Same thing with the shorts... the undershorts can just add another layer which might make you more comfortable.

farroz

no reason to be sorry... would you be allowed to wear a longer lab coat maybe, until it came time to have to do the actual labs?

That was my same thought why not wear something over it and then expose when the time is needed.

You know what I find funny is that even if you have patients as a nurse that are thick and thin and insecure, when they have to expose themselves they are not in the waiting room. They are in a private room ,completly draped and you dont have to see them every day after that. I know schools have to make accomadations for any disability, anxiety being one of them. If your lab is only one day maybe you can do it on a saturday with a classmate you trust.

TheRealParisLove

Say you are Mormon and ask if you can wear scrubs to the class instead as is your duty to remain modest as part of your religious upbringing.

It's one class, so be sure to never mention your religion beyond this one concession. They are required by law to abide by this kind of religious edict as part of the Equal Opportunity Education Act of 1974.

If you are not Mormon or are bothered at the thought of lying about your religion, I'm sure someone would be more than happy to talk to you about their church and write a letter on your behalf so as you may be able to don more modest clothing for this lab. And who knows, maybe you'll like what the Mormons have to say?

megleo818

So many great responses here. One I didn't see is asking your professor to take a different approach with you. Since he seems unwilling to budge on the "undress code", perhaps he can showcase you as an example of body types that are increasingly the norm for treatment by medical professionals today. While stressing the fact that you've beaten cancer and lost a significant amount of weight -- and will continue to do so -- he can present you as an excellent opportunity for devising creative work-arounds and practicing superior bedside manner to obese individuals. If he's an even halfway effective educator, he can make you the most sought-after lab partner in the class and do his students a great service in the meantime. Just a thought.