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Advice On Style On The Ward Or In The Clinic [Paging Dr. Renin]


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How many pockets does your white coat have?!?

 

Just 2, mine is long with 2 deep pockets. I keep my phone in the scrub top pocket with pens so the pens stops it from falling out when bending over. In the left white coat pocket is stethoscope and trinkets like tape, gloves, etc. In the right pocket is patient list, consult sheet, progress notes and other paper. The weight of the 2 pockets help keeps the white coat down so it doesn`t fly open when quickly walking in the hallway. When examining someone I just hang the white coat nearby like on the IV pole, and the scrubs underneath would be no problem if there`s any fluid. I think the white coat elicits a respect for the professional and expert, while the scrubs underneath presents a willingness and readiness to take action and solve problems should they arise.

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Man, when I had to wear a white coat (the short ugly thing) the pockets were SO WEIGHED DOWN. It was dreadful, I am so happy to never have to wear that ratty thing again, and I haven't worn a long coat in years. I have mine hanging on the back of my door in my office.

 

I like wearing scrubs to sleep in though, or stretch knit wrap dresses with a cardi underneath. 

 

Once, the power went out when I was on call, and yeah, there is no backup power in call rooms. Good thing I sleep with my glasses on my face when I'm on call! :)

 

I saw an ER doc wear cargo shorts with a scrub top. Hahaha. I have been known to come to the ER after hours with jeans and a t-shirt with a hoodie, though. Like at 4 am when I have to come back to do something under protest (not assess a patient) - I save my Star Trek t-shirts for these events.

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I just want a plain coloured knit top with no patterns or odd detailing that has sleeves, is relatively fitted, not see-through, and has a neckline that actually covers my chest, for a reasonable price.  Is that really so much to ask?

 

HAHA. That my friend is hard to find. I have a top like that, except it was not a reasonable price. I bought it in navy, purple, red, and white and white polkadot. I wanted navy stripes too, but I ran out of money. HAHAHA.

 

It's a great top. It works alone, under a sweater or a blazer, with jeans or with a skirt...

 

Anthropologie. Yeah. Cost me an arm and a leg for each one.

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My other rant of the moment about women's clothing is that EVERYTHING IS SHEER AND NOTHING HAS SLEEVES!

I'm one of those people who hates sleeves in professional attire mostly because I get so darn hot that I sweat and sleeveless tops (under cardigans or blazers) help counteract that. And the less I sweat, the better my interactions with others haha.

 

Regarding the skirt dilemma, I agree with you: I'm tall so only in rare occasions can I actually find skirts that hit me at the knee. And some of the skirts I see in stores... who actually wears those to work???

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I just worry that having my arms bare could be considered unprofessional and I don't always have a cardigan or anything. Is that worry unfounded? Thoughts?

It's never been an issue for me or my colleagues and I've been working in clinics the last few years with bare arms in the summer time haha. That was research though so maybe perceptions will change once I'm on the med side of things this year? But I regularly see MDs in clinic with bare arms in the summer time and no one ever says anything.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am just starting 4th year electives and have not had to wear a white coat since my second year OSCE.  I have received a couple of emails about upcoming electives requiring me to wear a white coat.  Am I the only one who thinks the short white clerkship coats look ridiculous? This seems to be an archaic expectation.  I literally met one physician in 3rd year who regularly wore a white coat.  UBC says that wearing a white coat is necessary so other hospital staff and patients can identify you as learners.  What's the point of wearing a name tag and introducing yourself then (only partly joking)?

Lab techs, pharmacists, nurse educators, lab personnel all wear white coats as well, the argument that wearing a white coat will help identify us as med students is ridiculous.

Sorry for quick rant, I just can't stand those coats and feel they are part of a bygone era of medicine. 

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I noticed that some of the clerks (quite a few clerks) don't wear white coats in the hospitals? I think that in pediatrics, they discourage students to wear white coat  :P

Institution- and specialty- dependent. I'm not in pediatrics nor a clerk, so I feel free to wear the (long) white coat as it simplifies my life and looks more put-together than scrubs (where people will be asking if you're doing procedures or on call). Understand it's not for everyone, but it saves me a lot of time deciding what to wear in the morning and is always professional.

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One of my orientation manuals this year says no crop tops or tube tops. Not sure who wore that leading to the rule needing to be made explicit.

 

Some schools/hospitals don't want you to wear a tie or white coat because of germs and stuff. I also wouldn't wear a tie if you are in emerg, medicine, or psych because an angry or delirious patient can choke you with it. I think I only wore a white coat one or two days in clerkship because a clinic staff made me wear one. The rest of the time it was either not required and/or discouraged. Very few people at U of T wear white coats but it varies by med school.

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Institution- and specialty- dependent. I'm not in pediatrics nor a clerk, so I feel free to wear the (long) white coat as it simplifies my life and looks more put-together than scrubs (where people will be asking if you're doing procedures or on call). Understand it's not for everyone, but it saves me a lot of time deciding what to wear in the morning and is always professional.

Yah, no white coats allowed in peds.  Too scary for this kiddos! 

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