People on social media were outraged by a study that criticized female medical professionals for sharing bikini photos.

The August 2020 edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery featured a study titled “Prevalence of unprofessional social media content among young vascular surgeons.” In this paper, inappropriate attire was described as “pictures in underwear, provocative Halloween costumes, and provocative posing in bikinis/swimwear.”

But, healthcare workers responded by posting pictures on the internet. They shared bikini pics and photos of themselves in work gear using the #MedBikini hashtag on Instagram and Twitter. Take a look and remember to upvote your favorite pics.

Researchers faced criticism for a study they conducted on healthcare professionals.

A doctor provided a clear explanation of why the study was considered sexist.

The study’s authors and the Journal of Vascular Surgery have both issued apologies, and the paper has been retracted.

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Many of the study’s authors are affiliated with the Boston Medical Center, which released a statement. A spokesperson for BMC mentioned that the paper was “ill-conceived, poorly executed, and reinforces biases about professionalism and gender.” Additionally, they emphasized that the paper does not reflect the values of the hospital.

The statement expressed, “This paper highlights that we have a lot more work to do in eliminating gender bias within our medical community, training programs, and particularly in the care we offer to our patients and the communities we serve.”

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There was a significant initial backlash. Healthcare professionals strongly criticized the “disturbing” study, which suggested that young surgeons should be mindful of the “permanent public exposure of unprofessional content that can be accessed by peers, patients, and current/future employers.” Essentially, the study focused on the impact of medical professionals’ social media presence and labeled certain things as ‘unprofessional.’

The researchers gathered their data by setting up ‘neutral’ profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Subsequently, they utilized these profiles to examine the social media feeds of young vascular surgeons.

Yet, healthcare professionals emphasized that posing in swimwear, enjoying the beach, or having a cocktail to relax didn’t diminish their professionalism or commitment to their jobs; it simply reflected their humanity.

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