Moonlighting: What to Wear?

[psychopharmer]

Hi, all! I'm a PGY-3 psychiatry resident starting a moonlighting position soon and I'm wondering what you all think appropriate attire would be. The answer is, of course, "that depends," so I'm just looking for general thoughts.

I will be working at an inpatient state psychiatric facility, functioning as the on-call attending. My hours will be roughly 6P-7A on weeknights, or 6P on Friday to 7A on Monday. My duties will be to accept and evaluate new admissions, as well as fielding calls from the units. I won't be rounding on existing inpatients except in unusual circumstances.

Within my residency program, we wear scrubs while taking overnight call and while working during the day on weekends. So, my main question is - should I be wearing dress clothes during the weekend daytime hours, or could I wear black or navy tailored scrubs? I want to look professional, but I could potentially have a lot of downtime and I don't want to hang around in stiff clothing if I can avoid it. Thanks for your input!

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[Doc1401]

First things first, you are not a surgeon

 

[FlowRate]

First things first, you are not a surgeon

We also wear scrubs on call.

Scrubs are hospital attire, not surgeon attire.

 

[michaelrack]

make sure to wear shoes and a shirt, and you should be ok

 

[Crayola227]

why not business casual at first, until you get a feel for the place, a chance to ask someone without looking like a noob, or the chance you run into any other docs that do nights and just ask them?

that's what they told me in med school at least
occasionally overdressed but not too bad

I feel ya, I live in overglorified PJs aka scrubs given the chance

 

[HarryMTieboutMD]

Wearing scrubs as a resident is acceptable in the hospital, but after residency it is not (for any speciality except the ones in which it is actually needed), especially psychiatry. Since you are functioning in an attending level position as a moonlighter, as you highlighted, don't wear scrubs. Wear slacks and a dress shirt- never fails.

 

[WingedOx]

We also wear scrubs on call.

Scrubs are hospital attire, not surgeon attire.

I have long disputed the fact that scrubs are remotely comfortable.

 

[AD04]

make sure to wear shoes and a shirt, and you should be ok

Does that mean pants are optional?

On a more serious note, the physicians who are the most financially successful tend to be the best dressed ones as well.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Does that mean pants are optional?

If you're moonlighting in telepsychiatry.

 

[SourceOfDenial]

If you aren't wearing pajamas you're trying too hard.

 

[Doc1401]

For the heck of it lets go through the reasons why a psych resident would wear scrubs to work:
1) lazy, just wants to get by
2) has some psych issues himself eg. thinks its halloween
3) feels inferior to the other specialties

Now put this resident in scrubs next to a well dressed resident in a tie, and have them stand next to eachother.

You can all say what you want, but I have seen this with my eyes and know 9 times out of 10 which one performs better

 

[jaymon]

For the heck of it lets go through the reasons why a psych resident would wear scrubs to work:
1) lazy, just wants to get by
2) has some psych issues himself eg. thinks its halloween
3) feels inferior to the other specialties

Now put this resident in scrubs next to a well dressed resident in a tie, and have them stand next to eachother.

You can all say what you want, but I have seen this with my eyes and know 9 times out of 10 which one performs better

Maybe it's institution dependent. Almost everyone wears scrubs inpatient at my program, even the attendings. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be comfortable. Dress clothes are not comfortable at all to me. I've hated them since I before I started med school. As far as a tie goes, that's a good way to get strangled on our units.

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[Doc1401]

Maybe it's institution dependent. Almost everyone wears scrubs inpatient at my program, even the attendings. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be comfortable. Dress clothes are not comfortable at all to me. I've hated them since I before I started med school. As far as a tie goes, that's a good way to get strangled on our units.

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I actually hear this time and time again but the truth is that the risk for strangulation due to wearing a tie is incredibly low. You just do not hear about these cases, but rather see it as an excuse not to wear a tie.

 

[jaymon]

I actually hear this time and time again but the truth is that the risk for strangulation due to wearing a tie is incredibly low. You just do not hear about these cases, but rather see it as an excuse not to wear a tie.

Low is still higher than none. When I was a student though, we were actually instructed not to wear ties on the unit. So, maybe, it's institution dependent.

To the op, I would probably dress up a little for the first time them go from there. That's what I did when I started moonlighting. Everyone else was wearing scrubs though, so I switched over to scrubs as well.

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[Armadillos]

I don't think skipping the tie is necessarily a sign of being lazy, a dress shirt with no tie seems to be more common in many professional settings. IMO if your not wearing a coat wearing a dress shirt with a tie makes you look like a grocery store manager.

 

[splik]

why don't you ask them about appropriate attire? These things are institutional dependent. as long as you don't look like a mental patient you should be good. Some of these responses are unnecessarily bitchy. It is one thing to work on the weekend. It is another thing altogether to work 13hr shifts on the weekend. Personal comfort is important, especially if you are expected to be there the whole time doing admissions etc. In that circumstance it is perfectly acceptable to wear scrubs assuming the institution is also okay with it (though patients might assume you are a nurse, especially if you are a woman). personally i used to wear comfortable shoes, a sports jacket, t-shirt, polo shirt, or comfortable shirt, and slacks when moonlighting.

 

[erg923]

I actually hear this time and time again but the truth is that the risk for strangulation due to wearing a tie is incredibly low. You just do not hear about these cases, but rather see it as an excuse not to wear a tie.

Um...I could eliminate risk of death by ligature strangulation vs lower it, why would I not do this? Are you really suggesting "fashion over function?"

 

[birchswing]

I'm inherently distrustful of doctors and nurses who don't wear scrubs with themes relating to upcoming holidays. It makes me feel like they've just given up.

Given that it's almost Halloween, it seems that the calendar has decided your wardrobe for you.

 

[michaelrack]

On one of my weekend moonlighting coverage assignments, I am responsible for a lot of medicine (and the non-double boarded psychiatrists who cover are also). I am treating UTI's in gero patients, vomiting in those withdrawing from opiates, falls, seizures, chest pain, sinus problems, doing physical exams etc. I don't wear scrubs, but they would be justified.

 

[SourceOfDenial]

There are a couple of things that are hilarious about this discussion. First off the idea of 'I'll consult strangers on the internet who appear to be psychiatrists' instead of asking the institution. A simple email would solve it. But, it is funny to see the responses. And if you post a question on the internet and don't expect a snarky response you're missing out on the best thing about the internet.

The idea of not wearing a tie for strangulation risk. If you're worried about a patient strangling you then that's a unit I don't want to be on with or without a tie. I think my record was 5 officers with me for one correctional patient.

Lastly, can we stop using 'bitchy' to describe things? We are open accepting(hopefully) mental health professionals, let's move away from gendered insults.

 

[clausewitz2]

why don't you ask them about appropriate attire? These things are institutional dependent. as long as you don't look like a mental patient you should be good. Some of these responses are unnecessarily bitchy. It is one thing to work on the weekend. It is another thing altogether to work 13hr shifts on the weekend. Personal comfort is important, especially if you are expected to be there the whole time doing admissions etc. In that circumstance it is perfectly acceptable to wear scrubs assuming the institution is also okay with it (though patients might assume you are a nurse, especially if you are a woman). personally i used to wear comfortable shoes, a sports jacket, t-shirt, polo shirt, or comfortable shirt, and slacks when moonlighting.

Everyone knows that the way you prove you a doctor if you are wearing scrubs is by wearing a Patagonia fleece with your name and title embroidered on it. This is the real doctor attire in these fallen days of nursing care managers clad in brilliant white to their knees.

 

[FlowRate]

Wearing scrubs as a resident is acceptable in the hospital, but after residency it is not (for any speciality except the ones in which it is actually needed), especially psychiatry. Since you are functioning in an attending level position as a moonlighter, as you highlighted, don't wear scrubs. Wear slacks and a dress shirt- never fails.

Despite my preference for scrubs, this honestly makes sense.

I have long disputed the fact that scrubs are remotely comfortable.

Who is torturing you with uncomfortable scrubs?

For the heck of it lets go through the reasons why a psych resident would wear scrubs to work:
1) lazy, just wants to get by
2) has some psych issues himself eg. thinks its halloween
3) feels inferior to the other specialties

Now put this resident in scrubs next to a well dressed resident in a tie, and have them stand next to eachother.

You can all say what you want, but I have seen this with my eyes and know 9 times out of 10 which one performs better

4) Will be awake for 26.5 hours, 24 of those spent on direct patient care (and maybe a nap for 1-2 hours), .5 for continuity of care, and 2 for getting dressed/commuting. Would prefer to sleep in something that's not chinos and a dress shirt and would prefer to wear more comfortable shoes.

The resident with the tie is well rested, so why make the comparison?

 

[Roxas]

Lastly, can we stop using 'bitchy' to describe things? We are open accepting(hopefully) mental health professionals, let's move away from gendered insults.

You've never encountered a "bitchy" male?! What fantastical hole are you living in?

 

[NickNaylor]

I wear scrubs intermittently when I work at the psych ED as a moonlighter. Never gotten any feedback that this is inappropriate, and a lot of the attendings do the same. Then again, the most “dressed up” people usually get at this place is jeans and a polo.

 

[clausewitz2]

I hate scrubs. Haven't worn them since my surgery rotation. I get the wanting comfortable clothing to sleep in for long overnight calls, but if you are male and your call room locks, why can you not simply take off that dress shirt to sleep?

If you are female and your professional clothes are likely to get verkakte if you don't have a hanger I get it, but a dress shirt and chinos as stated above can get folded over a chair for a few hours without getting all that mussed up.

 

[WingedOx]

I hate scrubs. Haven't worn them since my surgery rotation. I get the wanting comfortable clothing to sleep in for long overnight calls, but if you are male and your call room locks, why can you not simply take off that dress shirt to sleep?

If you are female and your professional clothes are likely to get verkakte if you don't have a hanger I get it, but a dress shirt and chinos as stated above can get folded over a chair for a few hours without getting all that mussed up.

Pair of chinos plus hospital/school fleece is my go-to on-call look. More comfortable than scrubs, and also has pockets.

Of course I've also pulled the "white coat over a hoodie" looks, or in the case of my old weekend moonlighting gig "hospital ID clipped to a hoodie with jeans", so I may not be the one to consult about high fashion.