Is this real life? BMJ confessions of med student prostitute

This arrived in my e-mail Inbox this morning from the British Medical Journal:

Dear Chris,

How far would you go to fund your degree–take out another loan? Sell your car? Mr D is a male medical student who started off as an escort to fund his degree. As time goes on, he enjoys his luxurious lifestyle, and starts engaging in nights of “unlimited fun.”

Read the full story here
It is strange and surreal. Not the idea of a medical student as a sex worker, but the fact that the article is appearing in Student BMJ without a byline; also, that the writing is stylistically titillating rather than analytic or journalistic. (Or maybe it's that the Brits can't distinguish anymore between journalism and tabloids...) It reminds me of publications like A Study of Male Oral Sexuality from the 1970s that were pr0n posing as "scientific studies":

D has been able to expand his client base, and currently sees about 13 wealthy women. After he saw some women more regularly, a few started to have strong feelings for him, and believed that they were in some sort of relationship. He has since promised at least four of these women that he has given up his sex work, although they are unaware that he continues to have other clients. Although some clients have openly stated that they would rather start afresh with him, D thinks this is unlikely because he only dates them for the money; he strings the women along and tells them what he thinks they want to hear.

D currently lives in a rent free flat, has his own car, and is comfortable financially—as a direct result of the funds provided by these women. By now, his initial reason for entering the escort trade—to fund his medical degree—must have been met.


Student BMJ must be in a real need of readership, prompting me to ask "Is this real life?"

It's okay, bud, it's just from the medicine...