Pearls & Perspectives: From Emergency Medicine to Sexual Medicine, With Jeff Myers, DO

Welcome back to Pearls and Perspectives!

In this episode of Pearls & Perspectives, host Amy Pearlman, MD, sits down with Jeff Myers, MD, an emergency physician who is transitioning into a career in sexual medicine. After 25 years practicing in emergency departments ranging from level 1 trauma centers to rural community hospitals, Myers discusses what drew him to sexual health and why he sees an opportunity to help patients address concerns that often go unspoken during major health events. His interest is shaped not only by years of caring for patients in acute settings but also by personal experience.

Pearlman and Myers explore the intersection between emergency medicine and sexual medicine, including how the broad differential-diagnosis approach used in the emergency department can translate to evaluating sexual health concerns. Rather than focusing solely on a perceived sexual dysfunction, Myers emphasizes looking at the whole person and considering factors such as physiologic health, behavioral health, sleep, nutrition, relationships, and other aspects of a patient’s life. The discussion also highlights the important role sexual health can play across medical specialties, including its potential to serve as an early indicator of underlying cardiovascular disease and other health concerns.

The conversation turns to the potential for sexual medicine clinicians to work alongside urologists and other specialists, particularly when patients are facing major interventions such as radical prostatectomy. Myers discusses his goal of serving as an adjunct to physicians who may not have the time to address sexual health and intimacy in depth, helping patients and their partners navigate these concerns before and after major health transitions. Ultimately, Pearlman and Myers discuss the importance of helping patients reclaim an important part of their identity and quality of life.