Yes he can.

But, he has to follow certain guidelines.

CONSENT

Consent should be taken. Usually a verbal consent is fine, but if the doctor is too defensive, he might take a written consent.

And the consent part is required even when a male doctor is examining the private parts of a male patient. And by consent, it means informed consent. The doctor should briefly tell the patient what he is going to do, then wait for consent, and then proceed with the procedure, if affirmative.

If at any scenario, any patient willingly refuses any form of medical advice, then this fact should be mentioned in written, with a signature of the patient and his relatives to attest the refusal. It is important, so that the doctor may not land into any legal issue.

Also, the consent should be valid. Usually, minors(below age 18 years) cannot give consent, and the consent is to be taken from their guardians. But, as far as I know, consent for a private part examination can be given by any person above the age of 12 years.

Any person, deemed mentally unfit by a competent authority, is also deemed unfit to provide a valid consent, and hence such consent needs to be given by the patients guardian.

FEMALE ATTENDANT/CHAPERONE

A male doctor should keep a female attendant alongside with him, while he examines the female patient. The female attendant is necessary due to legal and cultural issues. Legal, because a Doctor might be sued for professional misconduct, and a lack of female attendant goes against him. Cultural, because two people alone in a closed room, one male and another female, not blood related, is considered culturally inappropriate by many.

The female attendant too should be of valid age and sound mind.

PRIVACY

Such a private examination requires privacy. Sadly, this is the most neglected part. The patient needs to be comfortable while he/she is being examined. But, here in Indian Public Hospital settings, privacy is hard to find. Mainly because of overflow of patients and lack of proper infrastructure. Examintaion rooms are either absent, or limited. Same is the case with screens/curtains. The screens/ curtains even if available, are generally inadequate, with less than the desired length and peep holes in some of them.

If the patient requests for a female doctor, one can heed to such a request, if a female doctor is available.

Thank you.