Doctors Put On Their Swimwear To Protest a Study That Called Them "Unprofessional" For Sharing Swimwear Photos On Social Media
Surgeons can't wear bikinis?
Is it acceptable that smart and capable women, who worked hard to get through medical school and internships, paid off numerous student loans, and, most importantly, are keeping us alive and well, are judged by how they dress in their free time?
The answer seems to be yes, according to a piece on the conduct of younger vascular surgeons titled "Prevalence Of Unprofessional Social Media Content Among Young Vascular Surgeons," published in The Journal Of Vascular Surgery.
Were the article's creators trying to protect these doctors' professional reputations, or was it plain misogyny? After all, mostly women were called out…
Doctors were reprimanded for "provocative posing in bikinis/swimwear" and "holding/consuming alcohol" on their social media accounts.
The Internet responded—the hashtag #medbikini quickly began to trend, as women in medicine shared pictures of themselves in swimsuits to demonstrate that what they do in their off-hours has no impact on their medical skills or dedication.
Even some older doctors wanted to contribute.
Other professionals in the field suggested that the research was faulty at best and, at worst, had significant ethical issues. Allegedly, the three doctors who conducted it used false social media accounts to achieve the results they wanted.
They also happen to be men in their mid-30s, which could indicate bias.
People concurred:
"1 I concur & I’m a patient
2 Researchers sound intrusive and concerning in this study. It raises questions about their understanding of professionalism," says Dr. Ramani Durvasula, clinical psychologist. "3 I’ll keep my smart & kind doctors, who want to wear speedos/bikinis in their personal time," adds Dr. Pat Love, relationship therapist.
PS. How is the study even legal to conduct???"
Others mentioned misogyny:
The uproar resumed, and ultimately, The Journal Of Vascular Surgery did the right thing by withdrawing the controversial study and expressing regret. However, the study actually did some good by directing attention to something that can no longer be acceptable in modern society.
