Med School and Piercings

[Yes_I_DO]

*sigh* Ok, I debated about actually posting this...but Im gonna do it. I know it varies from school to school, but does anyone know if this is a serious no-no? I used to have a tongue ring but took it out for dental reasons. Ive been considering it lately but wasnt sure if it's even "legal" for med school (it would suck to pay for it again and get used to it again and have to take it out in Aug).

To pacify my piercing urge, I've been thinking about getting a small nose stud-nothing big and not very noticeable.

I know ppl are gonna jump all over this talking about "professionalism" but not every person in the professional world conforms to strict norms. When I was at KCOM (small town, traditional KCOM of all places!) I saw a guy with an upper-cartilage piercing.

Any thoughts?

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[Kuba]

*sigh* Ok, I debated about actually posting this...but Im gonna do it. I know it varies from school to school, but does anyone know if this is a serious no-no? I used to have a tongue ring but took it out for dental reasons. Ive been considering it lately but wasnt sure if it's even "legal" for med school (it would suck to pay for it again and get used to it again and have to take it out in Aug).

To pacify my piercing urge, I've been thinking about getting a small nose stud-nothing big and not very noticeable.

I know ppl are gonna jump all over this talking about "professionalism" but not every person in the professional world conforms to strict norms. When I was at KCOM (small town, traditional KCOM of all places!) I saw a guy with an upper-cartilage piercing.

Any thoughts?

1.are you a guy or a girl?
2.i think it should be fine in a perfect world
3.it's not a perfect world, so it might not be fine.

 

[AustinFinklea]

Maybe this can parallel......I have numerous tats........Luckily I can cover them up with clothing so when I am in school and with patients, nobody can see them. I wouldnt be caught dead with all my tattoos showing in school and especially infront of patients. Just my opinion, however.

 

[docem]

I am also thinking of getting a small nose stud...I know a couple of med students and docs who have had nose rings...they just wear really small studs and the clear ones if it something important. As for the tongue...It can be easy to hide but I think it is gross when people play with the bar...I would be turned off if my doc had a tongue ring, nose...I think it is pretty acceptable. Check with your school...I didn't apply to any of the schools with dress codes, but I assume if they are strict about clothes they will prob. be strict about piercings.

 

[iwilldlvr]

I think it may be ok while in the first 2 years with no patient contact. Once you start rotations, I doubt it's allowed. I have a tongue piercing too so I know how you feel. I've had mine for almost 10 years and feel strange without it, but it's just not acceptable unfortunately. There's still too much ignorance out there concerning piercings and tats. You can always get a spacer/retainer to wear at the hospital. Any hospitals I've worked at or volunteered at required it be removed. Like drkuba said, in a perfect world it should be fine, but it's not a perfect world.

 

[Yes_I_DO]

1.are you a guy or a girl?

What does it matter if I am a guy or girl? Do I smell a double standard brewing?

I am also thinking of getting a small nose stud...I know a couple of med students and docs who have had nose rings...they just wear really small studs and the clear ones if it something important. As for the tongue...It can be easy to hide but I think it is gross when people play with the bar...I would be turned off if my doc had a tongue ring, nose...I think it is pretty acceptable. Check with your school...I didn't apply to any of the schools with dress codes, but I assume if they are strict about clothes they will prob. be strict about piercings.

you're probably right. I know the tongue ring is far less widely accepted; that's what lead me to considering the nose stud. luckily for me my school does have a dress code wait...

 

[Kuba]

What does it matter if I am a guy or girl? Do I smell a double standard brewing?

it does not matter to me at all. However, I think most would agree that the general population would find the piercings you describe to be more "out of the ordinary" if you were a guy.

 

[Nickelpennykid]

We are dealing with a profession in which many people get to wear pajamas every day to work.

That being said I have a tat on my back (it is small). I would limit the number of pieces of metal you have sticking out of your face, but a nose ring prob. won't kill anyone.

 

[dr.kicia]

it does not matter to me at all. However, I think most would agree that the general population would find the piercings you describe to be more "out of the ordinary" if you were a guy.

i agree.
To the OP...i think it does't matter as long as it's not something crazy looking.
I've seen doctors with tattoos and piercings before (especially ppl who wear pearcings for religious/cultural reasons). It's not that uncommon.


P.S i have a big tattoo on my upper back and a nipple piercing(not that it's visible to everybody LOL)...i used to have a little stud in my nose but took it out after few months because it was bothering me while working out.
I never thought about it being a problem with med schools.

 

[Sailing Girl]

I too have seen an attending at the hospital with a pierced nose. I believe it was a cultural thing because it was a bright yellow gold that is sold in India with a chain connecting the nose ring to a necklace around her neck. It didn't look strange at all because it just fit the context of her overall look. Well I did look twice because I had never seen such a thing. Then it was no longer noticeable.

 

[Krazykritter]

*sigh* Ok, I debated about actually posting this...but Im gonna do it. I know it varies from school to school, but does anyone know if this is a serious no-no? I used to have a tongue ring but took it out for dental reasons. Ive been considering it lately but wasnt sure if it's even "legal" for med school (it would suck to pay for it again and get used to it again and have to take it out in Aug).

To pacify my piercing urge, I've been thinking about getting a small nose stud-nothing big and not very noticeable.

I know ppl are gonna jump all over this talking about "professionalism" but not every person in the professional world conforms to strict norms. When I was at KCOM (small town, traditional KCOM of all places!) I saw a guy with an upper-cartilage piercing.

Any thoughts?

The general rule of thumb for any situation like this is...If you have to ask, your probably should reconsider. For example, Q: "I have really long nice hair (male) & I shouldn't have to get it cut, will it count against me?" A: Yes it will. Medicine is a very conservative profession whether you want it to be that way or not.

All that being said, I think tiny little nose studs are sexy...but I don't think I would want my doc having one. No real reason perse, but medicine is conservative.

 

[FutureDoc2011]

Maybe this can parallel......I have numerous tats........Luckily I can cover them up with clothing so when I am in school and with patients, nobody can see them. I wouldnt be caught dead with all my tattoos showing in school and especially infront of patients. Just my opinion, however.

I'm thinking about getting a tat before I start med school in the fall (on my shoulder area). Would there be any medical reason for me not to get one - i.e. - Would I be able to donate blood in an emergency given that I have a tat?

 

[TerraMedicX]

I'm thinking about getting a tat before I start med school in the fall (on my shoulder area). Would there be any medical reason for me not to get one - i.e. - Would I be able to donate blood in an emergency given that I have a tat?

Most blood banks I know of won't let you donate blood for six months to a year after a new piercing or tattoo (That why I haven't donated blood in a long time...I seem to keep getting them! )

As for the original question, personally, the only visible piercings I have are my two ear piercings and that probably won't change (I simply don't like the way any of them look). My tattoos, on the other hand, extend down to my elbows (and I'm actually looking at filling these into half-length sleeves), so I plan on wearing long-sleeve shirts for most of the rest of my professional life. Now, I don't think it'd be the end of the world if someone saw the end of my tattoos. None of them are objectionable, they all have personal and religious significance to me. Then again, I also realize that some people frown upon them (although I've also had them come in really handy at breaking the ice with some patients!). I think that attitudes toward tattoos and piercings are changing rapidly as the older population is...replaced. My tattoo artist says that her primary clientel are doctors, nurses, lawyers and other "conservative" professionals.

All that being said, I see you having two options:
1) Get your piercing, enjoy it, when you get to school if they ask you to take it out, oh well.
2) Call/write/e-mail them and ask if they feel that it would violate their dress-code. Also, be aware that sometime down the road you might end-up in a hospital/clinic/office that does not approve of it and you'd have to remove it.

Personally...I prefer the adage of its better to beg forgiveness than ask permission!

Nate.

 

[krbirc03]

I just received my letters for matriculation to LECOM today. We all know how some people feel about LECOM, so please withhold, but I was just letting you know their policy they state in the letter. They said in their dress code for both men and women " excessive body piercing is not acceptable". I don't exactly know what excessive is exactly ...but I guess you'd better be safe than sorry. But LECOM is a little fierce in their codes...some schools may have more lenient policies.

 

[Yes_I_DO]

Personally...I prefer the adage of its better to beg forgiveness than ask permission!

All that being said, I see you having two options:
1) Get your piercing, enjoy it, when you get to school if they ask you to take it out, oh well.
2) Call/write/e-mail them and ask if they feel that it would violate their dress-code. Also, be aware that sometime down the road you might end-up in a hospital/clinic/office that does not approve of it and you'd have to remove it.

lol, yeah. thats always my favorite line of attack as well. if you dont ask you can plead innocent. if you ask, they're tuned to it and doing it anyway would be blatant disregard.

The problems with my 2 options are:
1) Im a cheapskate--if I do finally break down and pay for it, i dont wanna have to chuck it after only 7 months
2) but if I ask them, and they say no, then that means they have issues with it and I'll be flagged as "the one who wanted a nose ring" right off the bat

 

[TerraMedicX]

lol, yeah. thats always my favorite line of attack as well. if you dont ask you can plead innocent. if you ask, they're tuned to it and doing it anyway would be blatant disregard.

The problems with my 2 options are:
1) Im a cheapskate--if I do finally break down and pay for it, i dont wanna have to chuck it after only 7 months
2) but if I ask them, and they say no, then that means they have issues with it and I'll be flagged as "the one who wanted a nose ring" right off the bat

I totally understand! One of the reasons that none of my piercings or tattoos are in areas that I will cause me trouble until its time for OMM class...and hopefully by then they will be understanding! If not...well I'll loose the piercings and claim religious tollerence!

Nate.

 

[Marthea007]

I'm thinking about getting a tat before I start med school in the fall (on my shoulder area). Would there be any medical reason for me not to get one - i.e. - Would I be able to donate blood in an emergency given that I have a tat?

As for the tats that depends on the states and if there are state laws regulating cleanliness in the tattoo parlors. I got both my tats in PA and since there are no strict regulations, I can't donate blood for a year afterwards. In some other states you can do it right away.

 

[DoctorMom78]

I have two tattoos and one other on my arm that is almost completely removed. The two are on my back and not visible, but the one on my arm was really noticeable and hard to cover. I am actually getting removed because I am going to be a doctor. Whether or not it is fair or even reasonable to judge a person based on their appearance, the truth is that it definitely does happen. I decided to get it removed a few years ago because I thought it conveyed the wrong image to my future patients. So, I have been getting periodic laser treatments to remove it. I would still get another tattoo, but I would make sure that I could cover it. I also went through the piercing phase for a while too, but all my piercings are gone now. If you get a small nose stud, you can always take it out when needed.

 

[AustinFinklea]

I probably have more tats than all of you put together.....I would never have gotten them, if given another chance. I see it as the biggest mistake in my life. Docmom is right....no matter how wrong it is to judge another just because he/she has piercings or tats, it happens alot. I have been scorned at one too many times and quite frankly, I dont really want something like ink in my skin to come between me and my patients.....as foolish as that would be for a patient to feel that way about his/her physician just because they have a tattoo, etc.

 

[t-funk]

Right now, I only have 1 tattoo on my upper back but I'm planning on getting another one on April 13th (Friday) as part of a fundraiser for a group I'm in. I'm just going to make sure it is in a spot that isn't typically visible.