Doc Sorry After Gender Pay Gap Comments

A Texas physician who caused a stir with comments he made justifying the gender pay gap in a medical journal has apologized. Per the Guardian, Dr. Gary Tigges of Plano made waves when he told the Dallas Medical Journal's “Big and Bright Ideas” section that women choose not to work as hard as men. "They simply don’t want to be rushed, or they don’t want to work the long hours," wrote Tigges, who went on to say that women's priorities lie more with "something else … family, social, whatever.” Tigges said that nothing needs to be done to address the issue, putting the onus instead on the women themselves who he said would be paid more if they chose to work harder.

A social media firestorm erupted with Tigges at the center and he has since released a lengthy statement of apology. "I have heard from several trusted female physician colleagues who disagree with and are deeply hurt and offended," Tigges wrote in the statement obtained by CBS News. "I now understand more clearly how intricate this issue is and that there are ways we can work together to resolve these disparities." Tigges also apologized to "female physicians" in general and to his colleagues at Plano Internal Medicine Associates. (More gender pay gap stories.)