[The white coat as a cape: doctors, superheroes and bionics]

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2013;157(51):A7218.
[Article in Dutch]

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship between doctors and comic books, cartoons, superheroes and bionic prosthetic organs.

Design: Descriptive survey.

Method: For this study, 341 doctors and medical students filled in a digital survey in the autumn of 2013. The questionnaire contained questions about comic books and cartoons, their superheroes, prosthetic organs and about bionic and non-bionic super powers.

Results: As a child more than half of the participants read comic books regularly or often, and most watched cartoons regularly or often. Now their childhood interest in this subject has mostly been lost. In their youth, Suske & Wiske were the favourite, and now it is Donald Duck. The number of doctors with a favourite superhero decreased as aged increased from 52% to 37%. The care givers entertain lively fantasies about having bionic superpowers. According to the participants, the idea doctor would have ultrasonic eyes and all sorts of other super senses. Ninety-one per cent thought that 'the development of prosthetic organs is not a waste of money'.

Conclusion: If Batman and Superman come to blows, Catwoman wins.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Artificial Organs / psychology*
  • Artificial Organs / trends
  • Cartoons as Topic*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Physicians / psychology*
  • Reading
  • Students, Medical / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult