#MedBikini has been trending on Twitter for the past several days. This was in response to a irresponsible study from the health care world that is filled with misogyny and got published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery.
The premise of the study indicated that when choosing a hospital, doctor or medical facility a patient may look at the public social media content of a doctor. Then make their determination based on how professional it looks.
How did the researchers come to this conclusion? By creating fake social media profiles and then judging whether the content was “unprofessional or potentially unprofessional.” Those behaviors got defined as drinking alcohol, using profane language, wearing Halloween costumes and sharing bikini photos.
Now how many profiles got looked at in the study? 235 and out of that 61 got deemed “unprofessional or potentially unprofessional.” Which leads to another question. What about the men? Why just women?
It also doesn’t address how patients actually choose their doctors. Highly doubtful that searching social media sites is part of that process. More often than not it’s by referrals or finding reviews of said doctor. While making sure their insurance gets accepted.
Also for many what one does on their own time has no bearing on their perception of professionalism. Seems that this study is not legitimate and only showcases the misogyny in the health care world. One has to question why the Journal of Vascular Surgery would even attempt to publish the study to begin with.
Here’s a look at the reactions on Twitter.
This is the most badass #MedBikini post I’ve read and I’m sorry if Dr. Candice Myhre is on twitter and shared this. But I think we all need to see and read it. Wearing a bikini did not take away from her duties as a doctor. It didn’t hurt her pt. It actually saved their life. pic.twitter.com/rze0afLksT
— Madeeha_Syed (@Madeeha_Syed) July 26, 2020
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Surgeons can wear bikinis. ❤️?? #medbikini pic.twitter.com/VFf4tHzsUS
— Daisy Sanchez (@ladaisysanchez) July 25, 2020
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Couple of “unprofessional” obstetrician gynecologists right here – but only one of us has been called “sweetie, kiddo, and/or hunny” in front of patients #MedBikini pic.twitter.com/p9Jf3iTBxC
— Ariela Rozenek (@Gyneonbeat) July 24, 2020
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Sexism has no place in medicine. You can save lives AND wear swimwear at the beach. #medbikini #medtwitter pic.twitter.com/mBVyUcJ0p1
— Violet Sattari (@Violetsattari) July 25, 2020
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Here’s a pic of me being ~extra~ unprofessional #MedBikini pic.twitter.com/kbmP8d9d0E
— Jackie Z (@jackiez943) July 25, 2020
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Enjoying a mimosa in a bathing suit does not change my committment to my career or to my patients. Physicians deserve to enjoy life too. #medbikini pic.twitter.com/yDqqAA0HV0
— Jennifer Rodney MD (@JenniferRodney) July 26, 2020
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Oh hey, I can be a doctor, enjoy the sun, and be professional #MedBikini https://t.co/mVoyxh9Q9e pic.twitter.com/07fAO6Dfsr
— Molly O’Neil (@mowwyjane) July 24, 2020
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How unprofessional is this life jacket? #medbikini pic.twitter.com/RAuGeik3zD
— Ortho PA-C (@al_ortho) July 24, 2020
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Apparently a recent paper looked at docs in so called unprofessional pics. Not sure how drinking a beer shirtless is bad. Even worse for judging a females differently from men in same situations. #MedBikini pic.twitter.com/gjAvOZl842
— james (@Tallboyonline) July 24, 2020
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Does this make me look unprofessional? Or do those standards not apply to me? #medbikini #professionalism pic.twitter.com/DT1Udau32O
— Ilan Vonderwalde (@ilanvonder) July 23, 2020
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Trans #MedBikini #gaymedtwitter Because enjoying the water does not make me “unprofessional.” Because my identity is not “unprofessional.”?️? Because #MedBikini is for ALL bodies. pic.twitter.com/bxYlTfLjdf
— E. Concors, MD, MPH (@ConcorsErica) July 25, 2020
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Is it unprofessional to show your patients you have the same scars? #CHD #MedBikini pic.twitter.com/WBLGITHwkI
— Leo P DO (@DrPWave) July 25, 2020
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