Structured Examination of the Scrotum and Penis

Primary care pediatricians, family practitioners, and primary care advanced practice clinicians frequently need to examine male adolescent genitalia as part of a comprehen-sive physical examination. Although this part of the examination may be uncomfortable for clinicians, taking a structured approach to the examination can mitigate clinicians’ apprehension as well as enhance their ability to use this evaluation to identify potential pathology for the patient. Familiarity with the male genitourinary examination will also allow clinicians to definitively identify medical urgencies and emergencies for timely in-tervention. This review will provide the clinician with a structured approach to the male genitourinary examination while highlighting common pathology that may be encoun-tered during the examination.