THEY have long been portrayed as the alpha males of the medical world, embodying brains, talent and sexiness. But it is not just in the minds of film-makers and grateful female patients that male surgeons are so attractive - research has found they really are taller and more handsome than other doctors. A study, published in the British Medical Journal, set out to test whether real surgeons lived up to their counterparts on the big and small screens. Researchers recruited 12 surgeons and 12 physicians for a rigorous test of attraction - their pictures were shown to eight discerning women. The panel were asked to rate them on a scale of one (ugly) to seven (very good-looking). Their age and height were also recorded by the team at the University of Barcelona. The mean age of the physicians was 50.6, while surgeons were slightly older at 51.1. When it came to height, surgeons towered above the physicians by an average of seven centimetres - 179.4cm (just under 6ft) compared with 172.6cm (about 5ft 9in). And when it came to the crunch vote on attractiveness, surgeons were "statistically significantly" more handsome, the researchers said. Surgeons scored an average of 4.39 on the attractive-o-meter, while physicians came in at 3.65. But the bad news for surgeons and physicians was that both failed to live up to the good looks of their film and TV counterparts, who scored 5.96. The researchers said that being taller had "several evolutionary advantages" for surgeons. "Their extra height makes them more likely to be masters and commanders, and gives them a better view of the operating room, including the patient lying on the table," they said. The researchers said surgeons spent a lot of time in operating rooms, which are cleaner, cooler and have a higher oxygen content than the average medical ward where physicians spend most of their time, which could help them keep their looks. In contrast, physicians go about with a heavy stethoscope around the neck, causing their heads to bow forward and reducing their perceived height. A spokeswoman for the British Medical Association in Scotland said: "If a doctor is aesthetically pleasing it might be an advantage. However, the most important qualities a doctor must have are good communication skills, making the patient feel comfortable and providing a good quality of care." A spokesman for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh said: "The college absolutely agrees with the findings of this research that surgeons are the most handsome." STARS WHO GET TO PLAY DOCTOR • In the film The Fugitive, Dr Richard Kimble, played by Harrison Ford, is a neurosurgeon on the run from the police. Having been accused of killing his wife, Dr Kimble hunts for the real murderer. • American heart-throb Patrick Dempsey plays neurosurgeon Dr Derek Shepherd in the TV series Grey's Anatomy. The smooth, ultra-confident medic is very good at putting patients at ease. • Ric Griffin, head of general surgery in BBC drama Holby City, is the picture of calm in the operating theatre, despite a chaotic personal life. The surgeon, played by Hugh Quarshie, is divorced with nine children. • Dr Mac Macartney, played by Julian Rhind-Tutt in The Green Wing, is an object of desire at the East Hampton Hospital Trust. The show's website describes him as the "owner of the quickest blade in theatre". • Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, played by Alan Alda in TV series M*A*S*H, was a skilled surgeon also known for his drinking and carousing. Source
