LIKE it or not there is certainly a stereotype that comes with being a Playboy bunny - and it usually has nothing to do with your brains.

But one Playmate determined to smash the ‘bimbo’ association is Danielle Lupo, 24, who has just graduated from pre-medical school and is now looking to progress to a doctor.

Dani, who lives in New Jersey, began life as a dental assistant and has been in the healthcare field for 10 years after a bad accident exposed her to the industry.

Speaking to Fabulous Digital she said: “I got in a bad accident and I had to go to the hospital and that’s when I got exposed to all the kinds of things you can do in medical.

“After just graduating last year I’m looking at medical schools and doctoral programmes all while working as a cardiographic technician.”

But while Dani is hard at work studying during the day, at night she strips off her stethoscope and dons her bunny tail to work at New York’s Playboy club, which is currently closed due to lockdown.

She explained: “It’s great money on the side and I had a lot of fun doing a bunch of different shoots and I got into multiple international Playboy issues.

“I had the best time and it was just an honour to be published and then the Playboy club New York just opened and I tried out and got the position as a Playboy bunny.

“That was really cool, I was dressing up at night and going to school and working at the hospital (during the day).

“I looked at it as two part time jobs that would fill my schedule, I guess you could say they contradicted each other.

“The medical field is super conservative and Playboy is obviously free and liberating.”

I used a different name, because I’m going to be a doctor one day and I don’t want people Googling me

And rather than hindering her medical studies, Dani insists that doing both has given her “the best of both worlds.”

“While the club was open, it would consist of me making sure I had my homework in on time, before commuting an hour from Jersey to New York.

“It was an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything, I’m glad that I could find balance in both aspects of my life because I wouldn’t want to give up either one honestly.”

Dani is helping out with the current Covid-19 battle where she can but not everyone is a big fan of her side-line of work as she admits that family and friends had their concerns when it came to her after-hours work.

Dani said: “My mom was not a big fan, interestingly enough my dad was super supportive, he went to college and he understands that aspect.

“My mom is focused on telling people her daughter works at the hospital and leaving out the modelling part and some conservative friends have their concerns about Playboy.”

However, Dani is mindful of the fact that her previous career choices may impact her future as a doctor and has taken precautions.

“For my full nude pictorial in Czech Republic I used a different name, because I’m going to be a doctor one day and I don’t want people Googling me and seeing that.”

Being drop -dead gorgeous you won’t be surprised to hear that Danielle is not single, currently dating tattoo artist Jon Boy.

Despite having met her boyfriend at the Playboy club, it seems that he too sometimes struggles with her line of work.

“Couples have their moments and their disagreements but he supports me” she explains.

“He has to understand that there’s going to be certain attention on me and not to get jealous or feel insecure - but it’s human.”

Dani, who is a self-confessed feminist, is keen for her fellow activists to realise that Playboy is celebrating women rather than degrading them.

She adds: “I don’t feel that Playboy is sexist at all, Playboy celebrates women and I love that.

“We should be highlighting the fact that I’m a model and I’m smart.

“Even though I’m going to be a doctor one day I can still show my body and feel comfortable in my own skin.”

Dani, who has been been helping out at the hospital during coronavirus, remains adamant that while she may have sacrificed the odd night out and girls' trip away she regrets nothing about her double life.

“I wouldn’t have survived mentally if I didn’t have either or”, she says, “ It was the best of both worlds.”

Most read in Fabulous

In more bunny news, we previously spoke to Jordan Emanuel who revealed her dad comes to all of her events.

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And Fabulous Digital's Lauren Clark became a Playboy Bunny for the day and experienced life inside the hutch. 

Plus, gorgeous Sun Page 3 girls recreate classic poses from Playboy Magazine’s heyday

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