MD & DO Should non-physicians wear white coats?

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Dona Nobis Pacem

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I noticed that nowadays doctors don't wear white coats anymore. But nurse practitioners and PAs wear them. What gives?

I've had several instances where doctors are mistaken for nurses while nurse practitioners and PAs are referred to as "doctors."

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Psai

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Age old problem. Doctors wore scrubs and white coats, everyone else in the hospital copied the look. Residents started wearing north face fleeces so everyone else in the hospital copied the look. Residents switched over to patagonia, everyone else in the hospital copied the look. So on and so forth.

Everyone wants to be a doctor but no one wants to lift no heavy ass books
 
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Raney Schauer

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Everyone wants to be a doctor but no one wants to lift no heavy ass books
DLRnO6.gif
 
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HueySmith

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Not going to lie, some of the PA students I rotate with have such a giant chip on their shoulder, saying bull**** like "Doctors don't own us", "we can do everything a doctor can do", "We are independent." So ignorant and arrogant.
 
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Rekt

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Age old problem. Doctors wore scrubs and white coats, everyone else in the hospital copied the look. Residents started wearing north face fleeces so everyone else in the hospital copied the look. Residents switched over to patagonia, everyone else in the hospital copied the look. So on and so forth.

Everyone wants to be a doctor but no one wants to lift no heavy ass books

I wonder what's next after our Patagucci phase.
 
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evilbooyaa

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The best look is the no white coat, just dress clothes look. People know you're a doctor when you don't have to worry about wearing clothes that get covered in blood and **** on a day to day basis.

Of course that's mostly doable in the outpatient setting. Those are the people that look most like doctors.
 
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KnuxNole

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I haven't worn a white coat in over 2 years, the only time was for a professional photo.

I usually round with a group of residents and students when I'm in the hospital, and I am the only one without a coat with snazzy dress clothes. In clinic I usually wear dress clothes only as well.
 
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libertyyne

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Bring plague doctor back
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KingD

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The best look is the no white coat, just dress clothes look. People know you're a doctor when you don't have to worry about wearing clothes that get covered in blood and **** on a day to day basis.

Of course that's mostly doable in the outpatient setting. Those are the people that look most like doctors.
The appeal of Rad Onc, never forced to wear a white coat.

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WedgeDawg

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The best look is the no white coat, just dress clothes look. People know you're a doctor when you don't have to worry about wearing clothes that get covered in blood and **** on a day to day basis.

Of course that's mostly doable in the outpatient setting. Those are the people that look most like doctors.

Idk my favorite look is scrubs, surgeons cap, and tennis shoes that may or may not have blood on them. Dress clothes feel so restrictive
 
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Little Green Mensch

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At my med school's affiliated hospital, the door-greeter wears a long white coat.

Basically, everyone wants to leech off the respect that doctors used to get, and scrabble a little higher in the hospital hierarchy. Part of the problem is that doctors don't run hospitals anymore - most administrators are not physicians, and many boost other groups (nurses, ACPs, etc.) as a counterweight to doctors.
 
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Lnsean

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At my med school's affiliated hospital, the door-greeter wears a long white coat.

Basically, everyone wants to leech off the respect that doctors used to get, and scrabble a little higher in the hospital hierarchy. Part of the problem is that doctors don't run hospitals anymore - most administrators are not physicians, and many boost other groups (nurses, ACPs, etc.) as a counterweight to doctors.
This right here. We should start to resist a bit...it seems like everyone wants to push doctors around and we're gonna get beaten up if we don't resist or even try
 

RNthenDoc

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Age old problem. Doctors wore scrubs and white coats, everyone else in the hospital copied the look. Residents started wearing north face fleeces so everyone else in the hospital copied the look. Residents switched over to patagonia, everyone else in the hospital copied the look. So on and so forth.

Everyone wants to be a doctor but no one wants to lift no heavy ass books

You do realize that physicians started doing it to legitimize themselves by copying the scientists, right?
 
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puahate

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White coats are overrated now. Just dont wear them
 
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AMEHigh

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I can't wait till I don't have to wear a white coat. Pretty much all the doctors wear one at our hospital, so it's expected residents do as well. I never wear it in clinic, thankfully. Can't wait to ditch it for good.
Who cares if other specialties wear one??
 
A

AnatomyGrey12

Not going to lie, some of the PA students I rotate with have such a giant chip on their shoulder, saying bull**** like "Doctors don't own us", "we can do everything a doctor can do", "We are independent." So ignorant and arrogant.

And then the train wreck comes in the door and they instantly page the doc. If only it were legally or morally acceptable to simply reply, "I thought you could do everything I could do...."

I wonder what's next after our Patagucci phase.

Probably Marmot, I don't really see Fig becoming that big even if their scrubs are all the rage right now
 
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Psai

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You do realize that physicians started doing it to legitimize themselves by copying the scientists, right?

Whatever helps you sleep at night. You know who you're pretending to be.
 
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HueySmith

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NPs and PAs are just doctor-wanna-bes without having the guts to go through all the hard work it takes to be actual doctors.
 
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RNthenDoc

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Whatever helps you sleep at night. You know who you're pretending to be.

...I’m a Med student, so I wear a short coat...? Not pretending to be anything.

Also, you didn’t respond to my point at all. I think it’s because you’ve been proven wrong. In these situations it’s best to just take it gracefully, not to imply that I suffer insomnia. ;)
 
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Rekt

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And then the train wreck comes in the door and they instantly page the doc. If only it were legally or morally acceptable to simply reply, "I thought you could do everything I could do...."



Probably Marmot, I don't really see Fig becoming that big even if their scrubs are all the rage right now

Figs honestly ugly AF. I like Jaanu but their colors suck. Either way both are too expensive
 
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Goro

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I noticed that nowadays doctors don't wear white coats anymore. But nurse practitioners and PAs wear them. What gives?

I've had several instances where doctors are mistaken for nurses while nurse practitioners and PAs are referred to as "doctors."
I'll save TG the time...
johnwallbruh_i4dlum.jpg
 
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Waldeinsamkeit

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I noticed that nowadays doctors don't wear white coats anymore. But nurse practitioners and PAs wear them. What gives?

I've had several instances where doctors are mistaken for nurses while nurse practitioners and PAs are referred to as "doctors."


It's garbage. The world was a mistake.
 

Waldeinsamkeit

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I'm going to come in dressed as a nurse to mindf*ck everyone.
 
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ciestar

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Im an MS3 and i hate wearing it. I get way too warm with it on. Im only on my second clerkship and the only time I’ve had to wear it is when rounding in the hospital. In clinic i didnt have to and inpatient psych was the same way. I imagine something similar will present itself for peds.

Yeah, it is symbolic and the “rite of passage” thing, but has totally lost its significance. I see pharmacy students, pa students and others all in them daily.
 

FourniersGreenGang

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My favorite was the attending who told me about a PA student "they're basically doctors" as the student looked on smugly behind him. It took every ounce of strength not to say "except they go to half the schooling and none of the residency. Oh I forgot that they're in accelerated med school because of how much smarter they are, my bad." Obviously the last part would have been dripping with sarcasm.
 
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DrMcCoyDO

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My favorite was the attending who told me about a PA student "they're basically doctors" as the student looked on smugly behind him. It took every ounce of strength not to say "except they go to half the schooling and none of the residency. Oh I forgot that they're in accelerated med school because of how much smarter they are, my bad." Obviously the last part would have been dripping with sarcasm.

Not “smarter than,” obviously, but being in PA school also doesn’t mean someone is less intelligent, as it seems to be implied at multiple points in this thread. Not sure what PA schools the students you guys are rotating with are from, but I’ve worked alongside a lot of PA students over the last two years, and I’ve never heard a single one state or even imply that they’ll be able to do the job of a doctor when they’re done.
 
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Shambere

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This right here. We should start to resist a bit...it seems like everyone wants to push doctors around and we're gonna get beaten up if we don't resist or even try
doctors will always get beaten around as long as they continue to beat their own.
 

alprazoslam

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Not going to lie, some of the PA students I rotate with have such a giant chip on their shoulder, saying bull**** like "Doctors don't own us", "we can do everything a doctor can do", "We are independent." So ignorant and arrogant.


Sounds like residual salt from a bad Mcat score
 
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EleanorAbernathyMD

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Only reason I enjoy wearing my white coat:
i-love-your-outfit-me-thanks-it-has-pockets-2018-31024595.png

nbcP1

So much **** to carry
 
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akuko2

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The higher you climb the ladder the less you have to use status symbols to convince others of your worth. I just can't wait for the day I can sign off my emails with:
" -akuko2

Sent from my iPhone"
 
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jm192

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I don't wear a white coat.

I don't care what everyone else wears.

If I get mistaken for a nurse--who cares?
 
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762513

We all have nifty name tags that shows our skill level. I rarely see a white coat at my job.
 
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Wilf

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I don’t care much about the white coat but I do think there should be stricter rules about midlevels making it obvious to patients that they are NPs or PAs and not physicians. At the hospital I did fellowship every badge had in large bright letters what the person was so that it would be clear to patients. I have met too many NPs with their little dnp degree who wear a white coat and a badge with only small letters and they introduce themselves to the patient as Dr. _____.
 
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Ho0v-man

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I get that it’s annoying and some are obviously trying to impersonate docs. But from a logistical standpoint, nurses, techs, phlebotomists, respiratory therapists have to carry tons of crap like multiple iv start kits, gauze, blood tubes, etc. Kinda makes more sense for them to be utilizing all those extra pockets.

The extra pockets could also help the DNPs unload that chip off their shoulders.
 
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Psai

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I get that it’s annoying and some are obviously trying to impersonate docs. But from a logistical standpoint, nurses, techs, phlebotomists, respiratory therapists have to carry tons of crap like multiple iv start kits, gauze, blood tubes, etc. Kinda makes more sense for them to be utilizing all those extra pockets.

The extra pockets could also help the DNPs unload that chip off their shoulders.

lmao spicy af
 
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wholeheartedly

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FYI: It's a regulatory requirement for the lab techs and often interpreted as one for the phlebs to wear the white lab coats when working with blood or body fluids.

People should have their role/qualifications noted on their badges though.
 
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762513

I get that it’s annoying and some are obviously trying to impersonate docs. But from a logistical standpoint, nurses, techs, phlebotomists, respiratory therapists have to carry tons of crap like multiple iv start kits, gauze, blood tubes, etc. Kinda makes more sense for them to be utilizing all those extra pockets.

The extra pockets could also help the DNPs unload that chip off their shoulders.

DNP’s are pretty well rounded; they usually have a chip on both shoulders.
 
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