Dress codes around the country feature tinges of misogyny that in some places are more well veiled than in others. If your dress code had some sort of extra special regulation for girls, congratulations! You found the misogyny!
What you may not have known is that sometimes, this level of discrimination extends all the way past normal public education, through higher education, into post-graduate education, as a med student found out the hard way after a recent exam.
#medtwitter A friend did their OSCE’s with me recently & got yellow carded for wearing a “short skirt”… could someo… https://t.co/Rn2ZshtW3t— Ciarán (@Ciarán) 1624641450.0
Update: I complained to the university, their response was ‘it was the most inappropriate dress they had ever seen’… https://t.co/agfq3CNqkC— The Graduate Medic (@The Graduate Medic) 1631125860.0
I would also add that the complaint details that I wasn’t wearing leg coverings, and subsequently that they wouldn’… https://t.co/G6Djf7RNG1— The Graduate Medic (@The Graduate Medic) 1631131023.0
The student, known as Twitter user @thegradmedic, complained to the University of Newcastle, who responded via Twitter after further condemning her dress in private:
We want to apologise once again to @thegradmedic for any offence or distress caused by this incident. The comment w… https://t.co/AGD0qxMU5E— Newcastle University (@Newcastle University) 1631183311.0
However, we agree it should not have resulted in a yellow card from the examiner. This is why, when the concerns we… https://t.co/cdLasmgNyy— Newcastle University (@Newcastle University) 1631183312.0
We would not want any student to come away from these exams feeling remarks like this in any way reflect the values… https://t.co/ZFJ277HcuS— Newcastle University (@Newcastle University) 1631183312.0
However, she responded shortly thereafter saying that the University was not telling the entire truth.
"This is infactual information," she said in response.
"It came apparently from the patient and examiner alike - I asked for verification that it came from the patient and received none - the investigation started with 'we asked the clinician' and ended with that."
Folks were not thrilled with the University.
@UniofNewcastle @thegradmedic This is appalling. When I did finals the outfit she was wearing would have been rega… https://t.co/vdd86QA0sj— Katie Porter (@Katie Porter) 1631186948.0
@UniofNewcastle @thegradmedic Perhaps you encourage your examiners or patients to check this guidance before passin… https://t.co/0wBnZowxij— Adam Calthrop (@Adam Calthrop) 1631185034.0
The fight to get the yellow-card withdrawn continues, but our testee, @TheGradMedic, has stated that she will not be giving further details--only raising awareness of the issue so that society is not under the impression this doesn't happen anymore.
"I hope I've raised it in a way that is both appropriate but will invoke awareness/change. I hope it leads to wider questions being asked RE discrimination, policies, but also the freedom (or lack of) for students/doctors to discuss issues without fear of repercussions."
Our eyes certainly will be on the issue from now on.