Interview Attire for Males

[heyimnick]

I've had this debate with my family and others, and once and for all, I'd like to see SDN responses to resolve it:

Does it make any difference at all if one were to wear a blue blazer/khakis (a prep school look) vs. a more traditional suit? Is there a certain attire that is understood to look more appropriate for med school interviews?

I just wanted to get a general idea of where past interviewees and future interviewers were on this issue.

Many responses appreciated. Thanks!

 

[univscience]

dark suit

 

[HemaOncoDoc]

I've had this debate with my family and others, and once and for all, I'd like to see SDN responses to resolve it:

Does it make any difference at all if one were to wear a blue blazer/khakis (a prep school look) vs. a more traditional suit? Is there a certain attire that is understood to look more appropriate for med school interviews?

I just wanted to get a general idea of where past interviewees and future interviewers were on this issue.

Many responses appreciated. Thanks!

A matching suit in a conservative color (dark). No three piece suits, cummerbunds, or coat tails. Best of luck.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've had this debate with my family and others, and once and for all, I'd like to see SDN responses to resolve it:

Does it make any difference at all if one were to wear a blue blazer/khakis (a prep school look) vs. a more traditional suit? Is there a certain attire that is understood to look more appropriate for med school interviews?

I just wanted to get a general idea of where past interviewees and future interviewers were on this issue.

Many responses appreciated. Thanks!

Suits are the appropriate dress - this is an interview to get into a profession, so you need to dress professional, not preppy. 90% of interviews (and a significant percentage of interviewers) will be dressed in such business attire. Sure, there will always be one or two folks in blazers, and they probably do fine (despite it, not because of it). I know of one person who did a couple of interviews in a borrowed blazer due to airline luggage mishaps and still got in those places. The goal is to stand out in positive ways via your credentials, not due to your lack of grown-up wardrobe.
It needn't be the fanciest of suits -- something low end and on sale form Syms, Todays Man etc in a dark color will suffice. But it should be a suit.

 

[VPDcurt]

Suits are the appropriate dress - this is an interview to get into a profession, so you need to dress professional, not preppy. 90% of interviews (and a significant percentage of interviewers) will be dressed in such business attire. Sure, there will always be one or two folks in blazers, and they probably do fine (despite it, not because of it). I know of one person who did a couple of interviews in a borrowed blazer due to airline luggage mishaps and still got in those places. The goal is to stand out in positive ways via your credentials, not due to your lack of grown-up wardrobe.
It needn't be the fanciest of suits -- something low end and on sale form Syms, Todays Man etc in a dark color will suffice. But it should be a suit.

Law2Doc couldn't be more correct here. Suit - no khakis.

 

[ND2005]

A blue blazer and khakis would make me think you were still in high school.

Wear a suit.

 

[notdeadyet]

A blue blazer and khakis would make me think you were still in high school.

Exactly. Wear a suit. You can get a little creative (emphasis on little) to stand out wearing suits. Blazer is not the way to go.

 

[jocg27]

Does it make any difference at all if one were to wear a blue blazer/khakis (a prep school look) !

This doesn't sound like that bad of an idea....but in all my interviews I only saw one person doing this, and he kind of came off looking like a tool.

 

[Law2Doc]

and he kind of came off looking like a tool.

So he didn't even stand out.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Purely anecdotal but I have a friend who applied to 9 schools (all "top 10") and got into all of them. He wore a blazer and khakis to his interviews. He said one interviewer called his clothes a "breath of fresh air."

He also had ridiculous credentials.

 

[BMW M3]

Wear something out of the norm to seperate yourself from everyone other guy wearing a dark suit. I wore a light gray suit with lavender pin stripes and a slim lavender tie.

edit: I highly doubt interview attire can actually aid your acceptance (but it can hurt it) as I doubt anyone who is impressed by your clothes can have much pull in admitting you.

 

[beaverfetus]

Wear something out of the norm to seperate yourself from everyone other guy wearing a dark suit. I wore a light gray suit with lavender pin stripes and a slim lavender tie.

edit: I highly doubt interview attire can actually aid your acceptance (but it can hurt it) as I doubt anyone who is impressed by your clothes can have much pull in admitting you.

yeah but wearing your medschool's colors on your tie must of helped...

 

[Law2Doc]

yeah but wearing your medschool's colors on your tie must of helped...

Isn't NYU more of a purpley violet?

 

[Kuba]

I talked to a former admin at UVM, and they said that EVERYBODY comes in wearing a dark suit. I asked her if she suggested something a little flashier to stand out, and she said yes. By that, I think trying a different color shirt under the suit might work a little better than a white shirt and dark tie to go along with that black suit.

 

[Kuba]

Wear something out of the norm to seperate yourself from everyone other guy wearing a dark suit. I wore a light gray suit with lavender pin stripes and a slim lavender tie.

edit: I highly doubt interview attire can actually aid your acceptance (but it can hurt it) as I doubt anyone who is impressed by your clothes can have much pull in admitting you.

I agree with this

 

[BMW M3]

Isn't NYU more of a purpley violet?

Yup.. I was a couple shades off with the lavender. Wasn't trying to impress the interviewer with the school colors, but rather just trying to dress nice.

 

[dr.z]

Dark suit!

 

[BozoSparky]

Dark suit!

and wear a nice tie. don't make a weird statement with the tie. keep it conservative.

 

[TxMed]

dark suits are fine...but please don't wear black. you will look like a drug rep, computer salesman, or mortician. as the interview season goes along change out your shirt and tie combos to match the seasons, but not so much that anyone would comment on your clothing. ALSO...PLEASE DO NOT WEAR ANY TIE DEPICTING ANYTHING MEDICAL OR SCIENTIFIC ON IT. The guy that wears a tie with cyclohexanes all over it is headed for a PhD.

that is all

 

[Mr. McDuck]

I have a tie with a nice pattern, but if you look closely, it has t-rexes on it.

 

[chewsnuffles]

Cartoon ties score points too I hear

 

[Jedix123]

especially if they are medically related cartoons...


back to the suit thing: single or double breasted? 2 or 3 button?

 

[jackieMD2007]

In tribute to Clerks II, what about chicks with dicks, you know, that swing both ways? Should these people wear the traditional outfit?

P.S. 36? You applied to 36 Medical Schools? On the way out to the Parking Lot?

 

[BMW M3]

especially if they are medically related cartoons...


back to the suit thing: single or double breasted? 2 or 3 button?

singlebreasted if you are slim ... double if you have more of a stocky build.

2 button if you want to appear taller, 3 button if you want to appear shorter.

 

[Jedix123]

wow man did I screw up then... tall and slender here who went with a 2 button double... no wonder the suit was on sale

 

[Law2Doc]

dark suits are fine...but please don't wear black. you will look like a ... mortician.

Considering your first patient will be a cadaver, that is fitting.

 

[Mister Pie]

I'm planning on wearing a one piece suit aka a big thing of spandex with the features of a suit painted on.

 

[Kuba]

singlebreasted if you are slim ... double if you have more of a stocky build.

2 button if you want to appear taller, 3 button if you want to appear shorter.

I have a 4 button suit from Europe. It's supposed to be stylish for young men. Think that is appropriate?

 

[Looque]

Dark suits are certainly the most accepted, but I'm going the way of a tuxedo a la Dumb and Dumber. Pastels, ruffles and a top hat are a must.

 

[Pancho Villa]

I'm wearing this suit. CLICKY CLICKY

i didn't like the boring look of the plain black suits, so i decided to go with the pinstriped suit. looks classy, i think.