Perhaps vascular surgeon Jaime Strachan, MD FACS, was still thinking about the bikini contest he watched on television the night before when he allegedly groped the breasts of surgical tech Patricia Farrell while she was helping him put on his gloves and gown.

A state district court has awarded Ms. Farrell $1.2 million for emotional distress and punitive damages after she accused Dr. Strachan of reaching across an anesthetized patient to "forcefully" grab her breasts in clear view of the surgical team, minutes after he asked if any of them had seen the "Hooters National Championship" the night before, according to a report in the Danbury News Times. Ms. Farrell also claimed Dr. Strachan commented on the bikini contestants' breast sizes and played loud music with sexually explicit lyrics during his cases. The alleged incident occurred in in 2007 at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut.

Dr. Strachan claimed the grope was meant as a joke. Ms. Farrell, apparently unamused, filed a complaint with the hospital but, according to court records, was never consulted on what actions the hospital took against the surgeon. She also alleges an almost immediate change in the duties to which she was assigned, including fewer procedures, backup roles in the surgeries she did work and menial tasks unfitting for the hospital's lead vascular tech. She reportedly went from working complicated surgeries to cleaning out ceiling vents, her attorney Brian Heller told the News Times. Mr. Heller did not respond to a request for comment here.

Danbury Hospital reportedly disciplined Dr. Strachan for the incident, suspending him for 3 days and requiring he undergo counseling and get sexual harassment prevention training. His contract wasn't renewed when it expired in 2009. Court documents show the hospital denied Ms. Farrell was victim of retaliation, pointing out that she wasn't demoted, that her pay wasn't reduced and that, in fact, she continued to receive small pay increases each year.

"We do not agree with this verdict and view it as a significant example of a runaway jury and the need for malpractice reform," says Andrea Rynn, a spokesperson for the health system. "We felt confident in a reversal or a new trial but chose a simpler, more economical path to settle for a much lower amount than continue to fight this matter through legal discourse."

Daniel Cook