Actually it was med school. You lose the bet. Practiced sports medicine for over 20 years in kids and young adults as a pediatrician. I never saw one case of septic joint discovered by a penis check. It is diagnosed by a aspiration of a hot joint. If the aspiraration culture is found to be gonorrhea, then the std is diagnosed and treated. Checking the penis is not part of ortho exam for an injury unless the patient was kicked in the scrotum.
By the way gonorrhea arthritis rarely causes permanent joint damage. Staph is the serious form of septic arthritis, which when the diagnosis is delayed, does cause joint damage. Staph is also the most common cause for septic arthritis.
Not surprised you disagree if you were a pediatrician. quotes and Literature references are below
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/0915/p653.html
Patients with disseminated Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection are usually young, healthy, and sexually active.30 Disseminated gonococcal infection may have various clinical musculoskeletal presentations, with or without associated dermatitis. Patients typically display a migratory pattern of arthralgias, tenosynovial inflammation, or nonerosive arthritis.6,23,30 Blood cultures are seldom positive, and synovial fluid cultures are variable, with a positive result in only 25 to 70 percent of patients with gonococcal arthritis.19,23 When a disseminated gonococcal infection is suspected, cultures should be taken from potentially infected mucosal sites (e.g., urethra, rectum, pharynx, cervix).30,41
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0701/p83.html
Gonococcal arthritis is the most common type of nontraumatic acute mono-arthritis in young, sexually active persons in the United States.
I think you missed where I said non traumatic. Any penetrating wound would make skin flora the obvious etiology.
I don't know how much Gonorrhea you saw in your pediatric practice but You can diagnose septic joint with a penis check/culture (see above) and you can possibly prevent a septic joint with a penis check and treatment.
Physical exams are a lost art.