It depends on how hard the pounding was. If it was just firm tapping with the fingertips, then I would say it's within the range of normal, if he was looking for something in particular. If it was real pounding, as with the palm of the hand, or fist, then that is beyond the range of normal, it sounds like, and you may want to switch vets.
I get a newsletter from a veterinarian which I signed up for on his website at the same time I bought his online book on natural treatments. The book was very informative and the guy is pretty open to natural treatment although he does have a legitimate dr's degree in vet medicine and has his own practice. You might want to check out his website. He does answer general questions in his daily newsletter, so you could ask him to address the issue of what constitutes a normal vetinary exam. His website is at:
www.theonlinevet.com