What you wear in your free time does not have any impact on how professional you are or aren’t when you’re at work. Drawing a line between the two seems ridiculous, but that’s just what happened.
“The Journal Of Vascular Surgery” published a study that was conducted by three men. The title of the study was “Prevalence Of Unprofessional Social Media Content Among Young Vascular Surgeons.” The study claimed that surgeons who post pictures of themselves wearing bikinis and holding cups of alcohol are unprofessional.
So this study was published shaming physicians for being “unprofessional” by wearing bikinis or holding a beer in a photo? And the study was conducted by 3 men who created fake social media accounts to spy on applicants?This “study” must be retracted.#MedTwitter #MedBikini pic.twitter.com/h3SXs3YXUO
— Nicolas Leighton (@NickLeighton12) July 24, 2020
In response and in protest of the study, doctors and surgeons started posting pictures of themselves in bikinis on Twitter with the hashtag #medbikini.
Ha! Found a selfie in a bikini. To the 28 year old “researcher” who says this is unprofessional for women doctors, I’m old enough to be your grandmother. #MedBikini pic.twitter.com/84CKW9nfhz
— Trisha Greenhalgh #HappyPrideMonth 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 (@trishgreenhalgh) July 24, 2020
Surgeons can wear bikinis. ❤️🇲🇽 #medbikini pic.twitter.com/VFf4tHzsUS
— Dr. Daisy Sanchez (@ladaisysanchez) July 25, 2020
Last time I checked, I can wear whatever I want. #MedTwitter #medbikini pic.twitter.com/pij7HJGi0U
— Kesia (@KesiaNguyen) July 25, 2020
Some patients shared that they don’t mind if their doctors wear bikinis in their free time. One patient shared that people who conducted the study seem to be the creepy ones who are unprofessional.
1 I concur & I’m a patient2 Researchers sound CREEPY & CRAZY in this study. Very intrusive and sketchy. I’m not sure I want ’em as my docs3 I’ll keep my smart & kind docs, who want to wear speedos/bikinis in their personal timePS. How is the study even legal to do???
— Pam (@Pam25708340) July 25, 2020
The journal has since retracted the publication and apologized for it.
Editor’s Statement Regarding “Prevalence of unprofessional society media content among young vascular surgeons” pic.twitter.com/JAoFgcRtPx
— J Vascular Surgery (@JVascSurg) July 25, 2020
Do you think it’s unprofessional for doctors and surgeons to post pictures of themselves wearing bikinis and drinking alcohol? If you saw a picture of your doctor in a bikini on social media would it make you feel like they weren’t a very good doctor, or would it make no difference in your opinion? Do you think the men who conducted the study are the creepy, unprofessional ones?