Blonde Asian Incoming OMS1; Do I Have to Dye My Hair

[Dr_Ham]

Hi all,

I'm an incoming M1 starting school in June. I'm Asian American and I've been dyeing my hair blonde for the majority of this past decade and it's pretty much a part of who I am. I understand that I'll likely have to dye it to something less shocking during rotations, but is it necessary for me to change it during my preclerkship years? It's a standard shade of blonde BTW.

Thank you all, stay safe!

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[Goro]

Nope, not at all. You do you.

 

[sunshinefl]

Hi all,

I'm an incoming M1 starting school in June. I'm Asian American and I've been dyeing my hair blonde for the majority of this past decade and it's pretty much a part of who I am. I understand that I'll likely have to dye it to something less shocking during rotations, but is it necessary for me to change it during my preclerkship years? It's a standard shade of blonde BTW.

Thank you all, stay safe!

Any color within the range of natural hair color is fine, even if it’s not *your* natural hair color.

 

[NVO]

You honestly shouldn't feel pressured to change it during clinical rotations either. I'm a guy with long hair and I kept it long throughout rotations and residency interviews. Plenty of students had visible tattoos (i.e full sleeves). These never really posed any issues. Be yourself.

 

[Schwifty]

No, dye it whatever color you want. We have girls in my class who have had purple and blue hair with no problems. We even have a professor with blue hair lol

 

[Lawpy]

You honestly shouldn't feel pressured to change it during clinical rotations either. I'm a guy with long hair and I kept it long throughout rotations and residency interviews. Plenty of students had visible tattoos (i.e full sleeves). These never really posed any issues. Be yourself.

I'm so stunned people have thousands of dollars available to spend on full sleeves. *cries in crushing debt and frugal living*

But OP, i agree, i don't think anyone would care.

 

[BobbyKoch]

No, dye it whatever color you want. We have girls in my class who have had purple and blue hair with no problems. We even have a professor with blue hair lol

coincidentally one of the best profs, as well.

 

[Mad Jack]

Hair color is fine, don't worry about it

 

[Chads2]

Kenchana

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

About 1/4 of my class is Asian women and most of them have some ombré going on. I think something like 2/3 of American women color their hair in some form. I have always wondered if could pull off straight up blonde (am also Asian). How do you keep your hair healthy? I was thinking about just getting a weave...

 

[NVO]

About 1/4 of my class is Asian women and most of them have some ombré going on. I think something like 2/3 of American women color their hair in some form. I have always wondered if could pull off straight up blonde (am also Asian). How do you keep your hair healthy? I was thinking about just getting a weave...

the ABG ombre is definitely "in" now

 

[Redpancreas]

About 1/4 of my class is Asian women and most of them have some ombré going on. I think something like 2/3 of American women color their hair in some form. I have always wondered if could pull off straight up blonde (am also Asian). How do you keep your hair healthy? I was thinking about just getting a weave...

Same for South Asian women. I have noticed girls oftentimes have tinges of dark red/orange or brown highlights in their hair. I think it looks great! I didn't know there was a term for it...ombré huh?

 

[cantankerous]

Your hair is probably gonna thin and start falling out from the stress of med school. Bleaching your hair in that state will be definitely something to consider.

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

love those socal UC asian baby girls.

I'd be going for more of an east coast man repeller vibe but am also an appreciator of all things ABG

 

[Chads2]

am also an appreciator of all things ABG

0.4 x (delta)pCO2 + 24

 

[MissRibeye]

I am looking forward to my hair thinning a little. It is ridiculously thick and fine and takes twice the amount of time to do anything to it including dry!

 

[deleted1100659]

as a younger male soon to be attending, I would never really be worried about the hair color of a medical student. I see nothing wrong with expressing who you are, as long as its in a reasonable way. Your personality/knowledge base are the only things id care about

 

[Doc_Ock]

Was friends with an asian girl in school who died her hair a different color every week depending on her mood and no one cared.

 

[Osteosaur]

one of my classmates has a nose ring. another full sleeve of tattoos

I used to believe to a point you need to be practical about things, not piss off the wrong people, and do what it takes to make it to attending.

Then I had some 80 year old man telling me a guy with 490 COMLEX matched ortho because he slept in his car. cant let fear and boomer dad logic rule everything. because the next step is going to be "well as an attending that is not very professional... maybe you shouldn't be a doctor?"

ultimately you're supposed to be a leader. not be bludgeoned with fears of losing everything you worked for if you step out of line. unfortunately this is very much the way our society has been veering since 2015.

 

[Chads2]

Then I had some 80 year old man telling me a guy with 490 COMLEX matched ortho because he slept in his car. cant let fear and boomer dad logic rule everything.

I don’t get the progression of this story...?

 

[MissRibeye]

I don’t get the progression of this story...?

My interpretation (and experience in life) is that trying to please others or "play it safe" by fitting into a norm, playing to the middle, etc is less risky, but also may hold you back from achieving your dream, meeting the right people, making the most money, etc.

Basically: authenticity and courage to be yourself and follow your convictions can take you places you couldn't go if you stick to the safe path.

I think one of the best ways of thinking about this I got from the legendary trader, risk expert, and philosopher, Nassim Taleb (of The Black Swan fame); He calls it "the barbell method". He puts most of his money into boring, safe investments and then saves a chunk of money for things with high risk but high potential for reward. He does the same with other aspects of his life. This way, he makes sure to have his bases covered, but is able to take advantage of and profit BIG from the occasional high-risk/high-reward opportunities.

I have seen this time and time again in my own life. Every time I have had a big challenge or big goal, if I dug in and went the most authentic route, I made it happen. I stood out from the masses, I got the results, I made the money, and I felt FREE while doing it.

I would say that's the secret to life, really. Anywho.

 

[sunshinefl]

My interpretation (and experience in life) is that trying to please others or "play it safe" by fitting into a norm, playing to the middle, etc is less risky, but also may hold you back from achieving your dream, meeting the right people, making the most money, etc.

Basically: authenticity and courage to be yourself and follow your convictions can take you places you couldn't go if you stick to the safe path.

I think one of the best ways of thinking about this I got from the legendary trader, risk expert, and philosopher, Nassim Taleb (of The Black Swan fame); He calls it "the barbell method". He puts most of his money into boring, safe investments and then saves a chunk of money for things with high risk but high potential for reward. He does the same with other aspects of his life. This way, he makes sure to have his bases covered, but is able to take advantage of and profit BIG from the occasional high-risk/high-reward opportunities.

I have seen this time and time again in my own life. Every time I have had a big challenge or big goal, if I dug in and went the most authentic route, I made it happen. I stood out from the masses, I got the results, I made the money, and I felt FREE while doing it.

I would say that's the secret to life, really. Anywho.

This didn’t help explain the story.

 

[hallowmann]

I don’t get the progression of this story...?

This didn’t help explain the story.

My interpretation (mostly assumptions and extrapolations) is that the supposed student with the 490 worked crazy hard on their audition rotation that they never left the hospital, they just slept in the car and went into work super early, left super late, etc. As a result, staff were impressed and kept them on.

Basically my understanding from @Osteosaur's post is that the whole thing is asinine, and the idea that what is valued by an 80 yo attending should mean anything to a current student or young graduate is pointless. They are coming from a different era, a time where physicians were treated differently, expectations were different, and priorities were different. What's the point of conforming to what they want when you can just be happy doing you?

 

[Osteosaur]

I don’t get the progression of this story...?

Oh god. I was staying up very late to try and get my sleep schedule back in order due to nights. This is embarassing.

The point I was trying to make was that, at least from what I've seen of the culture of medicine there's the longstanding idea of sacrificing your wellness in the name of professionalism or impressing a residency. It can range from little things like "Don't dye your hair/no long hair on a male because some older patients/docs won't like it" to "get rid of those tattoos" all the way to "if you work around the clock and sleep at the hospital maybe you'll impress that program director!"

At least as an M3 I still see a lot of those attitudes, despite many mandatory lectures on "wellness", free yoga, therapy dogs, a billion emails about student mental health services, etc.

In general, medical students are the kind of people willing to delay gratification and put up with that stuff in hopes of climbing to the top, and its just unfortunate because it does take a toll.