ORLANDO, Fla., May 19 (UPI) -- Valencia College in Orlando, Fla., has issued a statement related to a lawsuit it faces by two college students who said they were forced to have transvaginal examinations.
The lawsuit alleges that medical diagnostic students at Valencia College were forced to undergo examination of their sexual organs or face retaliation, such as reduced grades or being blacklisted by future employers.
Physical examinations by peers is an accepted practice in medicine, but the U.S. National Library of Medicine urges a need for clearer policies regarding peer physical examination at medical schools.
Public Relations Director for Valencia College, Carol Traynor, said the college has not been served with the lawsuit yet so no comment would be issued, but a statement about the school's diagnostic medical sonography associate's degree program was released.
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"The use of volunteers -- including fellow students -- for medical sonography training is a nationally accepted practice," Valencia College said in a statement. "Valencia's sonography program has upheld the highest standards with respect to ultrasound scanning for educational purposes, including voluntary participation and professional supervision by faculty in a controlled laboratory setting."
"Nonetheless, we continue to review this practice and others to ensure that they are effective and appropriate for the learning environment," the college added.
The lawsuit claims that during orientation, students were encouraged to "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, which also said college staff told students "they could find another school if they did not wish to be probed" after students complained.
