Florida college sued over forced vaginal exams

Two college students say they were forced to submit to transvaginal probes as part of their classroom training to learn how to perform the medical procedure.The details are outlined in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Orlando against Valencia College and three instructors. It alleges that medical diagnostic students at the college were forced to submit to the examination of their sexual organs under threat of having their grades reduced or of being blacklisted by future employers. The three defendants named in the lawsuit, Maureen Bugnacki, Linda Shaheen and Barbara Ball, have not responded to CNN's requests for comment.

The lawsuit claims that during orientation, the college "had a second year student ... (nicknamed the 'TransVag Queen') explained the Medical Diagnostic Sonography Program's faculty believed that students should undergo invasive transvaginal ultrasound procedures in order to become better sonography technicians."

"Valencia positioned these transvaginal probes as voluntary, but its actual policy and practice was that they were not," according to the lawsuit.

Florida college sued over forced vaginal exams

This is just unthinkable. I would be irate if my daughter came home and told me this. I wonder if this is how other medical schools do it, or if there was some degenerate professor that started it. I can't say as the article doesn't get into that aspect.

Peer physical examination is an accepted practice in the medical field, but several recent reports cited by the U.S. National Library of Medicine mention a growing need for clear policies regarding peer physical examination at medical schools.

Florida college sued over forced vaginal exams

"She allegedly approached one student ... during a probing session and stated (she) was 'sexy' and should be an 'escort girl' (prostitute)." The suit says Ball's behavior casts serious doubts upon her motivation for insisting upon the forced vaginal probing sessions. Barbara Ball joined Valencia College in 1998 and worked at nearby Arnold Palmer Hospital prior to then, according to the school's website.

Attorney Chris Dillingham, who is representing the two women who filed the suit, said, "I filed the complaint in federal court because we are dealing with the government: Valencia State College. This is a constitutional federal rights claim. The vaginal probes and my client's right to refuse them without retribution -- their First and Fourth Amendment (right)s -- were violated."

So, what do you think ATS? I am not sure what to think as it says it is normal, but some of what was said is just wrong imho.

Please let us know what you think!

I can't even conceive of this. Even medical students don't practice on each other. In medical school, there are paid "models" who help teach physical exam skills--even breast, testicular, and vaginal exams. Nobody would even think of this in medical school, much less have students do it to each other. Sounds like the staff were getting their jollies. Hopefully they can get their jollies in prison.

I think that being on the receiving end of any medical exam should be voluntary as far as training goes. I can understand a student having to perform the exam as that is expected of them in their job, but they should only have volunteers be the examinee and if nobody volunteers, then... guess what Prof, your are the volunteer (or hire a volunteer).

When I read your title the first thing I thought was "Ya, ya think???"

What's is up with people these days???

Teachers banging students, Vaginal Exams in class......All I ever got was homework when I was in school....


Seriously though, people have lost all common sense I guess..

a reply to: spirit_horse

So... no young men took the course, or had their grades docked for not submitting to a vaginal exam, I guess?

a reply to: spirit_horse

This.Is.Insane:

In some cases, the student would have to sexually 'stimulate' plaintiffs in order to facilitate inserting the probe into plaintiffs' vaginas," the lawsuit alleges.

(From the Link)

I have 2 in laws and my sister who are nurses. They were forced to practice putting in IV lines on each other.

While not quite the same,but was not an option to opt out. I was kind of appalled that they had to offer up their flesh in this way, but they did it.

I think forced vaginal exams is rediculous and look forward to see this play out in court.

The idea for this type of coursework in medical school is for the physicians and technicians to know how the patients feel when they are only wearing a medical gown and sitting on a examination table.

Errr....without some sort of paperwork signed in advance i cannot see how it should happen

While i know medical professionals have to see stuff most of us don't want to see like removing tampons where the strings got lost etc and as such need to steel their stomachs to deal with such things but thats a voluntary process where she agree's to the necessary procedure BUT having to have that sort of thing done without your permission.....its worthy of pulling a gun and saying something rude about getting your hand away

a reply to: spirit_horse

Wonder how often male med students are forced to have anal probes.




F&S&

originally posted by: stormcell
The idea for this type of coursework in medical school is for the physicians and technicians to know how the patients feel when they are only wearing a medical gown and sitting on a examination table.

Unless they lived in a cave and only moved out to attend medical school, I'm gonna say, they've had an exam before?

a reply to: chelsdh

I agree with that practice as they learn to be good at it real dam quick or they will only hurt themselves lol. If you have ever been stuck four times by a noob nurse who could not hit a massive obvious vein, you would agree with that practice. The Vag, yea that is out of line but hey if they are going to be doing them then they need to have someone real to practice on. I guess government cut backs does not want to pay for models anymore lol. I seen that some lesbo made a sexual comment but the do it or be punished thing is WAY out of line. Most med students are supper freaks anyway from my experience.

I know it is completely different then the "vaginal method"...but in medic class we hsd to practice IVs on each other. No paperwork etc...It wasn't a huge deal, just needed 2 successful attempts and you practiced on mannequins beforehand. It did suck coming home with blown veins all in your arms lol but it did help tons. I believe they stopped doing this last year because of something a student did but I cannot recall what.

Thats so awful. Speaking from experience having had a forced Vaginal Exam (Different circumstances - mine was in pre labour - when I said a clear 'STOP' several times, as did my husband, yet they continued) It can cause a myriad of problems. That issue alone gave me years of issues as it triggered rape PTSD and led to a c-section and therapy throughout my second pregnancy. NO ONE should be touched without absolute, crystal clear consent prior to being touched - educational purposes or no. I'd rather a fumbly gyno than one that had to go through mental trauma to learn how to do the procedure.

I seriously doubt this actually happened.
Sounds like moral outrage porn.

OK, having had both done ... I still don't get why the transvaginal probe is so much scarier and worse than the yearly invasion by speculum? I actually find the latter more invasive.

a reply to: spirit_horse

Forget the fact of the parts being vaginas. That is a loaded term.

For example: I would like to think that my MD would have submitted himself to a prostrate exam during his training so that he would know exactly what was involved. Would that be wrong?

a reply to: spirit_horse

This is just unreal. As a student, there are plenty of ways they could gain experience performing this particular exam OTHER than practicing on each other.

It is inappropriate, to say the least.

They could have put the students in a number of OB/GYN offices and they could have worked side by side their sonographers, performing the tests in the office. I can think of about ten other ways they could get this experience WITHOUT "practicing" on each other.

Sick.