Piercings

[BlackBantie]

I tried searching for this but I had no luck. How many piercings in the ear is too much for a girl during an interview? Can I get by with 2 in each ear? I know any more than that will be too risky.

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[durfen]

I tried searching for this but I had no luck. How many piercings in the ear is too much for a girl during an interview? Can I get by with 2 in each ear? I know any more than that will be too risky.

This question has come up in the past.

Basically, ADCOMs love piercings, make you unique (sarcasm).

Seriously it's a conservative profession, try to have just one on each ear, with earrings, not piercings.

 

[BlackBantie]

Thanks, that's what I figured.

PS Rammstein is one of the best bands ever. Kudos for you durfen.

 

[notdeadyet]

Seriously it's a conservative profession, try to have just one on each ear, with earrings, not piercings.

OP- I wouldn't sweat two ear-rings per ear. Medicine is conservative, but lord it's not the SS. I'd remove all ear-rings as a male, but two per ear is not going to rub anyone wrong outside the Amish community.

 

[Kit_black]

I have my lip, tongue, three in each ear lobe and two others in my ears. My piercings are me and i had absolutely no intention of taking out the extras in my ears, but i don't usually wear the 3 in each lobe. I had thought of taking out the lip one, is it going to be a major problem? I'll need to take it out now if it's going to have time to heal before interviews - i almost think screw them if they can't look past the piercings, but i am willing to make myself into anything at present

 

[deleted109597]

If you want in, they put up a bunch of hoops. You jump through them to get to the end. You don't have to jump through the hoops, but you won't get into medical school by not doing it. Just like you don't have to take medical school prerequisites, but you won't get in if you don't.

 

[notdeadyet]

If you want in, they put up a bunch of hoops. You jump through them to get to the end. You don't have to jump through the hoops, but you won't get into medical school by not doing it. Just like you don't have to take medical school prerequisites, but you won't get in if you don't.

Everyone in medical school has a year of Bio/Ochem/GenChem/Phys. Not everyone has to be white and preppy.

Look clean and professional, by all means, but you don't have to look like every other drone to get acceptance. If a woman gets turned down for admission after an interview, smart money says it was more than the second ear-ring that did it.

 

[megaman1x]

Just take them all out. Who cares if you don't have any in for an interview.

I have:
- 2 piercings on the right ear (one on top, one on bottom)
- 3 piercings on the left ear (two on bottom, one on top)
- an eyebrow piercing

But I took all that out for the interview and am now accepted into the class of 2010. Won't they be in for a surprise when I show up with those 6 piercings...lol...

I'll take them out when things get serious or when I go into clinic of course...

 

[prznpremed]

Any thoughts on a nose ring? It has some ethnic significance, although I suppose I wouldn't mind taking it out.

 

[MahSpoon]

I have a piercing in the nether regions, do you guys think I should take that out just to be safe? You never know what kind of exams they perform on you during interviews.

 

[durfen]

Thanks, that's what I figured.

PS Rammstein is one of the best bands ever. Kudos for you durfen.

I was wondering when someone was going to notice that. It's taken from the Mutter album. Rammstein is also one of those bands you don't want the ADCOMs to know you like.

 

[Law2Doc]

I have my lip, tongue, three in each ear lobe and two others in my ears. My piercings are me and i had absolutely no intention of taking out the extras in my ears, but i don't usually wear the 3 in each lobe. I had thought of taking out the lip one, is it going to be a major problem? I'll need to take it out now if it's going to have time to heal before interviews - i almost think screw them if they can't look past the piercings, but i am willing to make myself into anything at present

The school is likely going to make you take the non-ear ones out before you see patients anyhow (which can be as early as first year at some places), so you might as well lose them now and gain admission. Most med schools have "appropriate attire" sections in their handbooks and frown on unconventional piercings and hair colors. Medicine is a conservative profession and you will be interviewed by older clinicians who will evaluate you on professional appearance during the interview. This is a service industry, and to a large extent med schools are trying to generate the kind of doctors the increasingly aging patient base will trust and want to see. Save your self expression for under the clothes -- Just move the piercings to places below the neckline.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Medicine is conservative, but lord it's not the SS.

Nein, es ist die Geheime Staatspolizei.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Save your self expression for under the clothes -- Just move the piercings to places below the neckline.

That's what I've done, all my piercings are non-visible when I'm clothed, and none of my tattoos will be visible either.

 

[Law2Doc]

That's what I've done, all my piercings are non-visible when I'm clothed, and none of my tattoos will be visible either.

Just make sure you space them out appropriately, so that you don't jingle when you walk down the hall. And wear underwear -- those prince alberts can be seen thru scrubs.

 

[joanofarc0907]

I had my lip (I took it out 7/5 for interview reasons and because I kept having to take it out when I worked at the hospital anyways and was building up scar tissue), have my nose and 6 unconventional ear cartilage piercings. I plan to take all of these out for my interviews. Its one day. My nose will close up probably, but the ears will be just fine. My ear piercings are a big part of who I am now, but I am willing to set that aside for 1 day of interviews. They will def be back and in full gear for medschool years 1 and 2 though

 

[DropkickMurphy]

And wear underwear -- those prince alberts can be seen thru scrubs.

You seriously need to stop staring at my crotch at work Law2Doc. You're making me feel cheap and dirty.

 

[WannabeOrtho]

I deleted this due to my own unappropriate post. I get really fumed up about these people that think they can have some kind of real meaning behind their ear peircing. Specifically the ones that are fake. "Hmm.. I look unprofessional. Let's take my peircings out just to go to a interview to look professional, when I am actually not professional." FAKE!.

 

[Erina]

i see absolutely nothing wrong with leaving my piercings in...i have two lower ear piercings in each ear and then a small diamond earring in my cartilage on one ear. i'll have my hair down so the earring in my cartilage probably won't even be visible. but i definitely don't plan on taking my piercings out...i don't think that amount of piercings is anything to be ashamed of.

 

[Hari Kari]

What it really boils down to is this: Anything that is a distraction for the interviewer can't work in your favor.

Do you want to be remembered for your astute responses to the interviewer's questions, or for your "shocking" appearance? What may seem perfectly normal to you may be repugnant to another.

When was the last time you saw a practicing physician with a lip/nose/eybrow ring, and more holes in their ears than swiss cheese? Perhaps a nose ring might be allowed to slide if it is culturally appropriate, ie your ethnicity is one from sub continental asia.

As was mentioned earlier, many (if not most) schools have requirements for "professional attire" to be worn, even in the first two years when patients are not seen. I'd be astonished if any school allowed anything but to be worn when coming in contact with patients.

If you want to be successful in your interviews, dress like a physician, so your interviewer can envision you as such.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I may go for one of those lip plates just for shock value.

 

[Haemulon]

I have my lip, tongue, three in each ear lobe and two others in my ears. My piercings are me and i had absolutely no intention of taking out the extras in my ears, but i don't usually wear the 3 in each lobe. I had thought of taking out the lip one, is it going to be a major problem? I'll need to take it out now if it's going to have time to heal before interviews - i almost think screw them if they can't look past the piercings, but i am willing to make myself into anything at present

Most hospitals have regulations for piercings and do not allow staff to wear non-traditional (ie other than ears) visible piercings. Either as part of dress code or for infection control reasons.

 

[LodiDodi]

I have a small ring through my traigus that I really like and don't want to take out( because I have to use pliers), but I'm worried that the interview ppl will not take me seriously. I wear it to my volunteer position where you can only have a max of two ear piercings (so I take out my normal ones) and I've never been told that its inappropriate.
I am just curious to know if any one else has been to an interview and got accepted with this piercing and what is the greatest number of piercings that some one has worn to a successful interview.

 

[playmaker_90]

i heard you want to have them on the lower part of your ear from one of my friends

 

[notdeadyet]

Nein, es ist die Geheime Staatspolizei.

Aber mit besserer Ausbildung. Mein Gott!

 

[Haemulon]

Aber mit besserer Ausbildung. Mein Gott!

Enschuldegung. Für so einen kleinen Mann hast Du aber sehr grosse Nasenlöcher!

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Enschuldegung. Für so einen kleinen Mann hast Du aber sehr grosse Nasenlöcher!

LMAO What do the size of his nostrils have to do with anything?

 

[Haemulon]

LMAO What do the size of his nostrils have to do with anything?

Its very important! Adcoms might notice!

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Its very important! Adcoms might notice!

Voice inside ADCOM's head: "I could fit my finger up to my second knuckle in there.....OMG"

 

[Looque]

I was wondering when someone was going to notice that. It's taken from the Mutter album. Rammstein is also one of those bands you don't want the ADCOMs to know you like.

Because the admissions committee just might have better taste in music

 

[Dianyla]

That's what I've done, all my piercings are non-visible when I'm clothed, and none of my tattoos will be visible either.

Yeah, what he said.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Yeah, what he said.

Granted the only even mildly objectionable tattoo I am getting is the dagger with the German words for "Honor, Loyalty, Duty, Valor" on my arm. The others are either quasi-religious (two angels on my back- one standing in front of the Earth holding a baby and a sword with the words "Damit Anderen leben koennen" (So that others might live); the other weeping with the words "Bear and endure This sorrow will one day prove to be for your good." ) or a memorial to remind myself that no matter how bad things get, I've lived and done my duty through worse (the Pentagon tattoo going on my left pec).

 

[joanofarc0907]

I deleted this due to my own unappropriate post. I get really fumed up about these people that think they can have some kind of real meaning behind their ear peircing. Specifically the ones that are fake. "Hmm.. I look unprofessional. Let's take my peircings out just to go to a interview to look professional, when I am actually not professional." FAKE!.

I'm glad you deleted the other post before I saw it, however I am still offended by this one. Don't go around telling me that I am fake when you know nothing about me. I've had my ear piercings for years and I'm sorry that a piercing becomes an extention of your body over time. I haven't even seen my ears without piercings in them since I was 15 years old, so don't tell me I am fake and not professional, I just happen to like the piercings I chose to get 5 years ago. Having piercings has nothing to do with being professional. I do, however, understand that it is very hard to look past the external when just meeting an individual. Therefore, I am taking out my piercings because I don't feel like they are so important that I am not me without them. But who are you to say that this makes me fake?

 

[durfen]

Nein, es ist die Geheime Staatspolizei.

Nett!

 

[durfen]

Because the admissions committee just might have better taste in music

Yes, they might at that. Rammstein is really the only heavy metal/industrial band I listen to. Everybody else sounds more like noise than music...
Rap, god rap is the worst.

 

[spospo]

for those worried, i would just like to say that i was looking at the online Tulane booklet thingy and they have an upclose pic of a med student looking into a microscope (yes, i know, cheesey) and the student had a small stud in her nose. just thought i would throw that out there.

 

[Law2Doc]

for those worried, i would just like to say that i was looking at the online Tulane booklet thingy and they have an upclose pic of a med student looking into a microscope (yes, i know, cheesey) and the student had a small stud in her nose. just thought i would throw that out there.

You need to check the student handbook to see what's allowed -- every school can be a bit different, although most are fairly conservative. A small stud in a woman's nose and multiple earrings may pass at some places, while eyebrow, lip and tongue piercings almost never do, and the rules may be different for men and women. And that same woman in the picture may still have to lose the stud on the wards, depending on the school rules. (Some schools get you out in front of patients as early as first year). You need to pick your battles and this is not one worth ruffling feathers.

 

[ClosetNerd]

I'm glad you deleted the other post before I saw it, however I am still offended by this one. Don't go around telling me that I am fake when you know nothing about me. I've had my ear piercings for years and I'm sorry that a piercing becomes an extention of your body over time. I haven't even seen my ears without piercings in them since I was 15 years old, so don't tell me I am fake and not professional, I just happen to like the piercings I chose to get 5 years ago. Having piercings has nothing to do with being professional. I do, however, understand that it is very hard to look past the external when just meeting an individual. Therefore, I am taking out my piercings because I don't feel like they are so important that I am not me without them. But who are you to say that this makes me fake?

ZING..... I'm with you.


PS.. maybe people should attach photos then we could decide better?...hmmmmmm

 

[deleted109597]

Everyone in medical school has a year of Bio/Ochem/GenChem/Phys. Not everyone has to be white and preppy.

Look clean and professional, by all means, but you don't have to look like every other drone to get acceptance. If a woman gets turned down for admission after an interview, smart money says it was more than the second ear-ring that did it.

Don't know that I was implying the white and preppy look, but ok.
And I wasn't referring to a second earring, I was referring to the lip studs, cartilage piercings, and others that were in the post above mine. Here is how you break it down.
1. Visible tattoos- Frowned upon pretty much universally, exceptions include medic alert type tattoos
2. Lip piercings- Frowned upon
3. Eyebrow piercings- Frowned upon
4. Tasteful nose piercings- Acceptable. We have a fair number of students with them at my school
5. Tragus piercings- Acceptable as well, if not too big
6. Multiple ear piercings- Most schools stop at 2. If you've got 3, not too bad. If you've got 8, think about toning it down.

This extension goes into interview clothing as well. Most schools prefer conservative dress. You can get away with some personality, but if your clothing is distracting, then it will be brought up, and MDs love to assign Axis II disorders to people.

 

[notdeadyet]

Don't know that I was implying the white and preppy look, but ok.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that that's what you were advocating.

My only concern is that once you start getting the ball rolling on what's appropriate, it can very quickly degenerate into "how to look like everyone else". And I don't know where all these folks are from that set the norm, but it ends up seeming kinda preppy and very uniform.

I like your six points, though, and they seem reasonable. But when folks start advocating women to take out a second ear-ring and the like.... I think it's overly reactionary.

This goes double for dress. Most premeds on SDN seem to get frightened into the feeling that the suit has to be black or dark navy with a white or blue shirt and a power tie. If that's your thing, fine. Maybe it's age and the fact that when you're 22, you don't know how to wear a suit right (I know I didn't), but you have a lot of flexibility in dress in which you can be comfortable, feel like yourself and still fly under the radar of "conservative attire".

Women seem to have a much better handle on this than guys. Like so many things... [/QUOTE]

 

[notdeadyet]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that that's what you were advocating.

My only concern is that once you start getting the ball rolling on what's appropriate, it can very quickly degenerate into "how to look like everyone else". And I don't know where all these folks are from that set the norm, but it ends up seeming kinda preppy and very uniform.

I like your six points, though, and they seem reasonable. But when folks start advocating women to take out a second ear-ring and the like.... I think it's overly reactionary.

This goes double for dress. Most premeds on SDN seem to get frightened into the feeling that the suit has to be black or dark navy with a white or blue shirt and a power tie. If that's your thing, fine. Maybe it's age and the fact that when you're 22, you don't know how to wear a suit right (I know I didn't), but you have a lot of flexibility in dress in which you can be comfortable, feel like yourself and still fly under the radar of "conservative attire".

Women seem to have a much better handle on this than guys. Like so many things...

 

[DropkickMurphy]

and MDs love to assign Axis II disorders to people.

They aren't the only ones....

 

[WannabeOrtho]

I'm glad you deleted the other post before I saw it, however I am still offended by this one. Don't go around telling me that I am fake when you know nothing about me. I've had my ear piercings for years and I'm sorry that a piercing becomes an extention of your body over time. I haven't even seen my ears without piercings in them since I was 15 years old, so don't tell me I am fake and not professional, I just happen to like the piercings I chose to get 5 years ago. Having piercings has nothing to do with being professional. I do, however, understand that it is very hard to look past the external when just meeting an individual. Therefore, I am taking out my piercings because I don't feel like they are so important that I am not me without them. But who are you to say that this makes me fake?

If you feel that you are still you without them, why keep them in at all? I'm not talking about ear piercings. I am talking about eyebrow, nose, lip, and all of them other bogus piercings. I ment, you are fake if you take your piercings out just for the interview. If you have them whynot wear them? I mean why take it out then walk out the door, pop them back in. I'd say wear them to the interview. My post was not all towards you either. Honestly, I don't even remember what piercings you said you had.

 

[CTtarheel]

Looking professional isn't about being "fake". I don't like to wear a suit everyday, but i'm going to wear one at my interview anyway, and that doesn't make me fake. Its a formal setting and you have to look the part. Bottom line, if you're concerned about it, just go ahead and take it out. What's the point in worrying about something so stupid. I know i'll have enough to stress about without having to worry if i'm offending someone or giving off a bad impression because of some stupid piercing.

 

[joanofarc0907]

Looking professional isn't about being "fake". I don't like to wear a suit everyday, but i'm going to wear one at my interview anyway, and that doesn't make me fake. Its a formal setting and you have to look the part. Bottom line, if you're concerned about it, just go ahead and take it out. What's the point in worrying about something so stupid. I know i'll have enough to stress about without having to worry if i'm offending someone or giving off a bad impression because of some stupid piercing.

exactly. because there are too many stereotypes and too many expectations to begin with. why start off on a bad foot?

 

[Hkoser]

I say put in a clear spacer for the interview. I've worked in hospitals whose dress code so no piercings other than earings, so I put a clear spacer in my nose ring. there were 2 nurses with nose rings so i wore mine one day with the spacer in my purse and no one has ever commented.

 

[Law2Doc]

I say put in a clear spacer for the interview. I've worked in hospitals whose dress code so no piercings other than earings, so I put a clear spacer in my nose ring. there were 2 nurses with nose rings so i wore mine one day with the spacer in my purse and no one has ever commented.

Patient complaints and biases of superiors can damage your evaluations and recommendations, even if it's not commented on to you directly. It's smarter to wait out school and residency and get a new set of piercings when you hang up your own shingle and aren't so dependant on other's opinions for your career.

 

[mrcdsbenz2000]

Patient complaints and biases of superiors can damage your evaluations and recommendations, even if it's not commented on to you directly. It's smarter to wait out school and residency and get a new set of piercings when you hang up your own shingle and aren't so dependant on other's opinions for your career.

These responses are ridiculous pre-med paranoia...I am a male- have 3 ear piercings and wore them on a number of my interviews and got into all of them. As much as people like to stereotype the profession- its not true in 99% of cases. Interviewers will see you for what you say- not what you look like...a million earings or not. By the way, if you had not noticed...this years Nobel Prize in Medicine went to a doctor with an earing- apparently it didnt hurt his career.

 

[Shodddy18]

I tried searching for this but I had no luck. How many piercings in the ear is too much for a girl during an interview? Can I get by with 2 in each ear? I know any more than that will be too risky.

It depends on where you go and who interviews you. Conservative is probably safer.

 

[MaiPenRai]

I say put in a clear spacer for the interview. I've worked in hospitals whose dress code so no piercings other than earings, so I put a clear spacer in my nose ring. there were 2 nurses with nose rings so i wore mine one day with the spacer in my purse and no one has ever commented.

Where can you get a clear spacer? That's what I wanted to do, too, but I have been unable to find one (for my nose piercing.)