Should you wear your white coat when shadowing as an M1?

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Hi all, I'm an M1 and was invited to shadow a family friend who's an MD/PhD while he conducts rounds in the hospital. This might be a silly question but I'm not sure what to wear for this. I'm a woman so I was thinking just dress pants or skirt and a blouse, not an actual suit. I also did get my white coat a month ago but I definitely don't feel legit enough to wear it in a hospital yet - seems more like an M3/M4 thing to wear? Thanks in advance!

 

[Mass Effect]

Yes.

 

[deleted898021]

Hi all, I'm an M1 and was invited to shadow a family friend who's an MD/PhD while he conducts rounds in the hospital. This might be a silly question but I'm not sure what to wear for this. I'm a woman so I was thinking just dress pants or skirt and a blouse, not an actual suit. I also did get my white coat a month ago but I definitely don't feel legit enough to wear it in a hospital yet - seems more like an M3/M4 thing to wear? Thanks in advance!

When we had to do preclinical shadowing experiences in clinics and rounds at a hospital at our school in our first year we had to wear our white coat, it might be different though if this isn’t through the school, but can’t hurt to wear your coat.

 

[enoughcharacters]

Great, thank you both @Mass Effect and @FutureDoctor5000! Appreciate it

 

[Mr. Nightmare]

I think the doctor that you would be shadowing would appreciate it if you wore your white coat.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Hi all, I'm an M1 and was invited to shadow a family friend who's an MD/PhD while he conducts rounds in the hospital. This might be a silly question but I'm not sure what to wear for this. I'm a woman so I was thinking just dress pants or skirt and a blouse, not an actual suit. I also did get my white coat a month ago but I definitely don't feel legit enough to wear it in a hospital yet - seems more like an M3/M4 thing to wear? Thanks in advance!

So actually, I'd be careful about this. We were told we weren't allowed to wear our white coat (or represent our school in any way) when not on official school assigned clinical duties. So, if this is something you set up without your school, you may want to just leave it at home.

 

[MDMechEngr]

So actually, I'd be careful about this. We were told we weren't allowed to wear our white coat (or represent our school in any way) when not on official school assigned clinical duties. So, if this is something you set up without your school, you may want to just leave it at home.

This.

 

[deleted1079620]

So actually, I'd be careful about this. We were told we weren't allowed to wear our white coat (or represent our school in any way) when not on official school assigned clinical duties. So, if this is something you set up without your school, you may want to just leave it at home.

We were told the same thing at our orientation.

 

[ciestar]

We were told the same thing at our orientation.

Also told this once upon a time

 

[kidthor]

Why don’t you just ask them?

As clinical faculty I wouldn’t really care what you were wearing as long as it was professional-appearing (in fact I have anyone rotating with me wear hospital issued scrubs - covid and all).

 

[enoughcharacters]

So actually, I'd be careful about this. We were told we weren't allowed to wear our white coat (or represent our school in any way) when not on official school assigned clinical duties. So, if this is something you set up without your school, you may want to just leave it at home.

Interesting, I am not aware of such a policy regarding white coats for my school but I'll look into it, especially with that being echoed by others here (thanks @MDglut, @Dame_Maggie, @ciestar).

Why don’t you just ask them?

As clinical faculty I wouldn’t really care what you were wearing as long as it was professional-appearing (in fact I have anyone rotating with me wear hospital issued scrubs - covid and all).

Good point, thank you. I thought this was something too trivial to bother them with but they are a friend, after all, and they'd know best.

 

[You shall know the Truth]

I wear my white coat to the store and to bed. It’s kind of a browny coat now

 

[CoomassieBlue57]

You’re doing it wrong if you’re not wearing you’re white coat everywhere (library, Starbucks, wherever). You need to assert your dominance and let people know you mean business. Plus it’s a great conversation starter when trying to pick up a hot girl/guy.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Personally I wouldn't since you're just shadowing and not seeing patients like you would be for 3rd or 4th year, it sends a different visual message. Scrubs or business casual imo.

 

[ortnakas]

Ask the family friend, that’s who gets to decide this.

 

[BellaWriterChic]

I would ask. I shadowed a doc when I went home after M1 and they did not want me to wear it cause most of the office didn't anyway. They had rotating students wear it cause their school seemed to require it but otherwise the office was white coat free.

Flipside, another doc told me to wear mine. (Also as a girl, that white coat gives you pockets your dress clothes dont have)

 

[enoughcharacters]

Thanks everyone for the input! If anyone cared for the outcome, when I asked the physician he said that it wasn't necessary to wear a white coat, as he doesn't even wear his.


And to @BellaWriterChic - I wore a cardigan that had pockets to get around that. 🙂 More women's clothes need (usable) pockets!

 

[BellaWriterChic]

Thanks everyone for the input! If anyone cared for the outcome, when I asked the physician he said that it wasn't necessary to wear a white coat, as he doesn't even wear his.


And to @BellaWriterChic - I wore a cardigan that had pockets to get around that. 🙂 More women's clothes need (usable) pockets!

Especially pants!! (Though I found dress pants that feel like yoga pants AND have POCKETS!!! Pricier but worth it)

 

[MedLife20]

Absolutely I will. How else could I flex and pick up on chicks while shadowing?