Two Australian surgeons have demanded an apology from a journal and the authors of a study that suggested doctors posting photos of themselves in bikinis online is unprofessional.

Perth cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Nikki Stamp and two colleagues argue the now-retracted research by three male surgeons and medical students was akin to “slut shaming” and was “rife” with ethical, methodological and moral concerns. 

The Journal of Vascular Surgery published the study in July but hastily retracted the work after it created a furore for suggesting doctors who posted bikini photos were unprofessional. 

In answer to that example, doctors around the world immediately posted pictures of themselves in swimwear on their social media accounts.