Shadowing Attire for Women

[8Labyrinth8]

I am wondering what ladies' attire is appropriate for shadowing (not in a hospital but in a small oncology clinic). Are tennis shoes and khaki pants, or buisiness attire and heels appropriate? Women have this so much more difficult than men, who can just wear nice slacks, nice shirt and a tie! Women have to worry about looking professional, older than a "college student", and not too pretty or flashy, in order to be taken seriously in this field. Please, anyone who has shadowed, what did you wear?

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[ami1983]

I am wondering what ladies' attire is appropriate for shadowing (not in a hospital but in a small oncology clinic). Are tennis shoes and khaki pants, or buisiness attire and heels appropriate? Women have this so much more difficult than men, who can just wear nice slacks, nice shirt and a tie! Women have to worry about looking professional, older than a "college student", and not too pretty or flashy, in order to be taken seriously in this field. Please, anyone who has shadowed, what did you wear?

i would wear scrubs.

 

[kac714]

i've worn nice dress pants and a cardigan with comfy ballet flats when i shadow.

 

[8Labyrinth8]

i would wear scrubs.

I was thinking about doing that, but the office is very overly "nice" and fancy (rich retirement capital of florida), the physicians all wear suits w/ white coats. Only the nurses wear scrubs, and they are patterned... do I wear hospital type blue scrubs? It seems that at this particular office that would'nt fit very well.....

 

[MrBurns10]

I was thinking about doing that, but the office is very overly "nice" and fancy (rich retirement capital of florida), the physicians all wear suits w/ white coats. Only the nurses wear scrubs, and they are patterned... do I wear hospital type blue scrubs? It seems that at this particular office that would'nt fit very well.....

I think (hope) that poster was joking. Wear nice slacks, a nice shirt, and comfortable shoes (not tennis).

 

[ami1983]

I think (hope) that poster was joking. Wear nice slacks, a nice shirt, and comfortable shoes (not tennis).

nope, i've shadowed in fancy suburban practices and the doctors who do surgeries come straight from the hospital in scrubs. others wear suits. until you get a feel for the place i would wear scrubs, it kind of makes you fit in. but thats just my personal opinion. i've worn regular clothes to shadow in a hospital, but then an MD told me to wear scrubs. so....

in the end, wear what you feel comfortable in.

 

[moonshine2]

I would not wear scrubs. Think more on the lines of business casual. I have usually worn khakis with a nice shirt and some sort of flat shoes. I would never wear heels because I am not that comfortable in them. My experience with shadowing was that I was on my feet alot, so wear some comfortable shoes that look nice.

 

[tianac2]

Ask the doctor or front desk person in the office where you're shadowing. Whatever you do, though, DON'T WEAR SCRUBS! In a hospital setting, yes that's okay, I've done it in fact, but in a private office where the doctors wear suits, its not appropriate. When I shadowed in an office, I asked the doctor that I was shadowing if business casual was okay, he said that that was perfect, so I wore dress pants, a business-y top (button down, twin set, faux-wrap shirt....) with dressy ballet flats.

 

[MrBurns10]

nope, i've shadowed in fancy suburban practices and the doctors who do surgeries come straight from the hospital in scrubs. others wear suits. until you get a feel for the place i would wear scrubs, it kind of makes you fit in. but thats just my personal opinion. i've worn regular clothes to shadow in a hospital, but then an MD told me to wear scrubs. so....

in the end, wear what you feel comfortable in.

Unless you're shadowing in the OR, there is no reason for a student to be in scrubs. Even on my surgery rotation I couldn't round in scrubs...I had to dress nicely, then change into scrubs in time for the 7:30am case. It's much better to be safe than sorry, so unless you're told you can wear scrubs, don't assume you can.

 

[paradisedoc]

I will reiterate what everyone else has posted: Scrubs are not appropriate in an outpatient physician's office if you are shadowing. In our office, the office staff wears scrubs and the docs wear business casual or business attire with white coats. The back office staff has been wearing scrubs for a long time because they need to wear "uniform" type clothing because they may get blood or other fluids on their clothes. We used to have our front office staff wear business casual, but they complained that scrubs are more comfortable, cheaper, and easier to wear. And that they were being discriminated against. So, we gave in, and now almost everyone wears scrubs and the office looks less professional in my opinion. So, please, if you are shadowing to become a physician, look the part!!! Look nice, and look professional. And, there is nothing unprofessional about being pretty. (I didn't understand that post.)

 

[ami1983]

wow, i'm surprised at the other responses. perhaps my shadowing experiences were unique. OP, just ask the doc you're shadowing for guidance.

 

[MrBurns10]

I wasn't kidding. I shadowed at a small clinic (not hospital); they said to wear scrubs.

Right, when they tell you to wear scrubs then obviously that's totally fine.

There was an interesting study done where non-medical people looked at pictures of various "doctors" (young woman, older man, etc) and they were asked to choose which they liked best. The vast majority preferred the person wearing nice clothes + white coat, regardless of age or race, saying that it looked the most professional and gave them the most confidence in the doctor. Second was scrubs + white coat. Third was business suit, no white coat. Last was casual clothes.

 

[Jolie South]

yea, you need to look professional.

i would wear some slacks (from express for example) with a nice top/buttondown and flats. also, limit your jewelry/makeup.

that's what i wear to preceptorship. i also like to wear these dressy type crocs so my feet don't hurt when standing for a long time. they're called Malindi and i have the black ones. i wouldn't wear them with skirts or a dress though.

 

[175961]

I would say guys and girls should dress up in something nice and professional. Its probably better to have the doc tell you that you dont have to dress up rather than having him/her tell you that you should have dressed up.

A little anecdote here.....I dressed up (colored dress shirt, tie, nice slacks) when I shadowed a doc and when I showed up the first day he was walking around in jeans and Hawaiian shirt and the secretary was walking around in slippers. they always said I dressed too nice. So, like I said, I'd rather have them tell me to "dress down" than show up and have them say "uh, you should have dressed a little more professional"