A Plano, Texas, doctor sparked outrage after he told a medical publication that female physicians make less than men because they "don't work as hard" and prioritize "something else ... family, social, whatever."

Medical professionals have since taken Gary Tigges to task for views they say are discriminatory and disproved by most research. Some have criticized the Dallas Medical Journal for highlighting the remarks; others have praised the monthly magazine for exposing them.

The quote appeared in the "Big and Bright Ideas" section of the September edition of the Medical Journal as part of a feature asking industry professionals to share their thoughts and potential solutions to the gender pay gap in medicine.

Tigges contribution: "Female physicians do not work as hard and do not see as many patients as male physicians. ... This is because they choose to, or they simply don't want to be rushed, or they don't want to work the long hours."

An internist at Plano Internal Medical Associates, Tigges went on to write that women tend to care more about outside obligations than work. The pay difference, he said, is a natural consequence.

"Nothing needs to be 'done' about this unless female physicians actually want to work harder and put in the hours," Tigges wrote. "If not, they should be paid less."

Many doctors called out Tigges remarks as sexist and ignorant. "These kinds of views ... are not supported by actual data," tweeted Esther Choo, physician and founder of Equity Quotient.

Washington Post