Hi Rachel
For a start if you want a female doctor, I'd call back and ask them what date a female doctor is available, stand firm!
I think many women request female doctors for things like this, hardly surprising, so some places will fob women off and hope they just accept the male doctor. I guess they don't want the female doctors flat out while the males are standing around. But your comfort should be considered, if a male doctor would add to your embarrassment/discomfort, then you should make clear you'll only accept a female doctor. I recall a young woman faced a similar situation last year, she made a stand and got the female doctor. Breast Screen in Australia is staffed entirely by women so the system can manage it if they care and they'll only care if women make clear they have a definite preference.
Anyway, having said that: I assume you're 25 so you should understand false positives are a problem before age 30, that's why pap testing does not commence until age 30 in an evidence based program, the sort found in Finland and the Netherlands. (both countries protect their young women and also, make an effort to minimize the risk of over-treatment in older women)
The Finns have the lowest rates of cc in the world and refer FAR fewer women for colposcopy/biopsy, since the 1960s they've had a 7 pap test program, 5 yearly from 30 to 60. So this is not new evidence. Young Finnish women won't find themselves in your position because they won't be tested in the first place.
Here is Australia we test from an early age, about 18, and we have huge referral rates for colposcopy/biopsy/over-treatment rates as a direct result. Our program will change in 2016, but excess will again feature in our program. Excess does not benefit women, just increases risk.
Sadly, not one country in the world has shown a benefit pap testing those under 30, but concerningly, young women produce the most false positives that can lead to unnecessary colposcopy, excess biopsy and potentially harmful over-treatment. I've always felt women don't get enough information about cancer screening and it's always presented as something we must do, we have a choice about these things and the law and proper ethical standards says it should be an informed choice. At the moment you can only make an informed choice, if you do your own research.
So I'm sure it's nothing, I'd be cautious allowing them to push you into any treatments at your tender age. You should also, know that HPV primary testing is also, not recommended until age 30, this is because about 40% of young women are HPV+, transient and harmless infections that will clear within a year or two.
The best program in the world for those who wish to test, IMO, is the new Dutch program, 5 HPV ptimary tests or self testing with the Delphi Screener at ages 30,35,40,50 and 60 and a 5 yearly pap test will ONLY the offered to the roughly 5% who are HPV+
This will save more lives and just as importantly, takes most women out of pap testing and harms way.
It's a shame you didn't get to this information before you agreed to your first smear. So many young women are put through these procedures, it's all so unnecessary, you have only to look at Finland and the Dutch to see how screening should be conducted...follow the evidence and put the interests of women first. I also, think there needs to be more respect for our legal right, informed consent, too many women feel pressured into screening with no understanding of the risks and benefits and where it can lead, that's unacceptable.
