Medical Medical School Attire for men - what is acceptable when there is no dress code?

[Question]

I feel slightly embarassed to as ask this question but I really have noone else to ask.

I was recently accepted to a medical school in the US. However, I have no idea what is an approperiate attire while attending a graduate program in the states. Everywhere I look I see generic statements thrown around about dressing professionally, mixed with "some people just wear scrubs", which seems contradictory. The school I was accepted to doesn't have any formal dress code.

Thank you.

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[TheBoneDoctah]

It will be different at every medical school. Ask where you get accepted.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I agree you'll want to scope out the school and see what the expectations are.

Important to note that the expectations when you're in the pre-clinical phase are likely very different from the clinical phase. When you're in class, it's usually completely casual. You could wear almost anything, although you want to avoid wearing something with a message on it that others would find insulting. In anatomy lab, it's expected you would wear old clothes or something you wouldn't mind discarding, or they may give you scrubs to wear.

In the clinical phase, it's either scrubs (if required / allowed by the site) or business casual. For men, that means a casual dress shirt, khakis / chinos / casual dress pants, a decent pair of shoes. No jeans, sneakers, hoodies, shorts, or t-shirts (and especially none with logos or messages on them). Some sites want men to wear ties when interacting with patients, especially in the outpatient clinics. But some sites want everyone in scrubs.

It's very unlikely you will need more formal clothing - sport jackets, button up shirts, etc. Even Mayo has relaxed their dress code.

This site does a decent job explaining this: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual Style for Men

(although at the bottom they discourage more casual pants, which I think are fine)

As an international student, do not hesitate to contact the school and ask. They likely have an office to help international students, for issues just like this. And this type of clothing does not need to be terribly expensive (although comparing COL between countries is difficult)

 

[GoSpursGo]

Just see what your costudents are wearing when you arrive

 

[PerioDont]

Just see what your costudents are wearing when you arrive

That’s what I would do. Most likely they’ll be dressed pretty casually in pre clinic.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

My advice is to wear something comfortable if able. You will be sitting and studying for long periods of time.

 

[AlteredScale]

Agree with @TheBoneDoctah . Unless you're going to LECOM which requires business casual on campus even on the preclinical years.

 

[Doctor-S]

Female here ... who agrees with the comments submitted by the posters above.

Assuming your school does not have a dress code:

1. If the incoming MS1 class at your school has started some type of social media group website or Discord, you can post a question about "what type of clothing should I bring with me as an incoming MS1" plus other questions about the school's first-year attire on the MS1 group page or Discord.

2. You might want to bring a lighter cold weather jacket for in-person classes because many lecture halls are air-conditioned and it can get pretty cold in those lecture halls.

3. Feel free to ask questions on your cohort's website or Discord. Some students bring blankets with them because they get cold when they're listening to a lecture in an air-conditioned lecture hall.

Have fun and congratulations on beginning your first year of medical school!

 

[MusicDOc124]

Most schools don't have a dress code. You mention yours does not. Based on my experience at a school with a dress code and subsequent transfer to a school that does not, as well as friends as numerous other schools that did not (in a variety of locations) - most people simply wore what they wanted/were comfortable in - for some that was jeans and a T/sweatshirt, for others it was more casual and even business casual at times (but not because of expectation or requirement).

It will be good to have a fair amount of clothes in which you'd be comfortable given the amount of time required for study, as well as some business-like attire for events and eventual clinical rotations in your final years. Scrubs will be good to have, but wouldn't worry about having more than 1-2 pairs at first because with the exception of anatomy lab, you won't really need them in the pre-clinical years, and not all rotations may allow you to wear them (i.e. outpatient rotations, certain hospital/specialty-specific dress codes, etc), and the few rotations that require them (i.e. surgery, OBGYN), will usually provide you with them for each shift.

TLDR: clothes that you are comfortable in + some dressier/business-like attire if that's not already what you wear.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Long story short...if you do not have a solid answer...always dress up and then have a backup on reserve haha.

 

[lord999]

Most medical schools have a dress code for external representation. You will need a suit and several collared shirts with ties ready when you are a student outside of the classroom. You may be required to have uniform scrubs depending on the institution.

In the lecture hall, most dress codes are nonspecific outside of :

1. Not disruptive to the educational experience (nothing too showy like pants before hips, nothing too political like a BLM or MAGA cap)

2. Must be safe in areas requiring workplace safety (no open toe shoes or loose hair in laboratory sections)

3. Some schools have additional requirements for certain events ( mine has a business formal under subfusc requirement at academic ceremonies and commencement and both students and faculty have been disciplined for wearing inappropriate attire under subfusc).