Prostate exam

My uncle used to love to say to me, "I knew there was a problem with my prostate exam when I felt the doctor's hands on my shoulders."

In the US, general advice (assuming you have medical insurance) is for men to have a rectal prostate exam starting at age 40. I left the US when I was 38.

In the UK, general guidance is to have your first rectal prostate exam at 45. I left the UK when I was 44.

In New Zealand, general guidance is to have your first rectal prostate exam at 50. I just turned 50 last November. It seemed extreme to flee the country just to avoid being probed.

And I'm happy to report my prostate is "symmetrical and soft" and, more importantly, the doctor did not put his hands on my shoulders at any point.