Wearing a Piercing in School

[DORocksMySocks]

I got an unconventional piercing in my ear several years ago....it is known as a "Rooke" piercing. Aside from that, I only have the "traditional" lobe piercings. Do people think that unconventional piercings like mine should be taken out to appear more professional? I am willing to remove mine if need be!

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[DORocksMySocks]

There is no way that I am the only person in the applicant pool that has a piercing other than lobes....someone has to have some type of opinion on this! Seriously, it's not like it is even visible to most people but I just think that it may not be PC.

 

[BKN]

I'll show my age, but I don't like it. I don't know what you mean by a "rooke" piercing, but I think the nose. lips, tongue and eyebrow piercings are incredibly ugly. So far, one of my residents has shown up with the nose piercing. Since she's Indian, it's cultural.

I think when it's time to go on the interview trail, you should take it out.

 

[mastamark]

I got an unconventional piercing in my ear several years ago....it is known as a "Rooke" piercing. Aside from that, I only have the "traditional" lobe piercings. Do people think that unconventional piercings like mine should be taken out to appear more professional? I am willing to remove mine if need be!

Yeah...Take it out.

 

[HunterGatherer]

In a DO hospital I went through I've seen multiple earings and even a what I believe is called an "ear plug". I'm not in the know but looked up a pic on the internet just now. I would take it of at first. You can always put it in later.

Yeah...Take it out.

 

[TheFish005]

I would say take it out for your interview, wear it during your first 2 years, take it out for clinicals. no one really cares what you wear during class (at most schools anyway) but they pay a little more attention when you're seeing patients. then again, i'm in california... the rules might be different out here.

 

[Donvb]

Oh dear Lord... take it out during your interview

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I would say take it out for your interview, wear it during your first 2 years, take it out for clinicals. no one really cares what you wear during class (at most schools anyway) but they pay a little more attention when you're seeing patients. then again, i'm in california... the rules might be different out here.

my thoughts, too. i had to take out my nose piercing because of interviews and a hospital requirement where i volunteer. i'm probably going to get it repierced, though, for the first two yeas of school.

 

[DORocksMySocks]

I do take it out for my interviews! Thanks for the advise!

 

[nerdgrrl]

I've got twelve holes punched in my body right now, but ten of them are in my ears, and I only wear jewelry in three of them. the other two aren't visible, and I'll leave it at that! I had my tongue pierced, but I took it out this spring, because I decided it was time to be a grownup. If I hadn't taken it out then, I would have taken it out before I had any interviews.

 

[I heart Biology]

I also have a rooke piercing and a small nose stud. I did not take them out for the interviews and still got into the DO schools I interviewed at. I don't plan on keeping them in when I actually do rotations. If I did it again I probably would take them out just because I found that some admissions people get caught up in small details of how you present yourself. But I think for the most part they aren't going to discriminate because of a rooke piercing

 

[Donvb]

I also have a rooke piercing and a small nose stud. I did not take them out for the interviews and still got into the DO schools I interviewed at. I don't plan on keeping them in when I actually do rotations. If I did it again I probably would take them out just because I found that some admissions people get caught up in small details of how you present yourself. But I think for the most part they aren't going to discriminate because of a rooke piercing

Around 80% of job inteviews are decided off of "first appearances," which include clothing, hair color, attractiveness, and... piercings... I think many admissions committee's wouldn't be able to help their discrimination against piercings at an interview, it is inherent in many people to judge on outwardly appearances...

 

[Blisterpeanuts]

I got an unconventional piercing in my ear several years ago....it is known as a "Rooke" piercing. Aside from that, I only have the "traditional" lobe piercings. Do people think that unconventional piercings like mine should be taken out to appear more professional? I am willing to remove mine if need be!

I have only the holes I was born with; I feel I already have enough vectors for disease to enter. Rooke piercing--I just googled it--looks kinda painful. I am OK with other people piercing whatever they feel like as long as it doesn't increase my health insurance costs to pay for their heightened infection rate. Tongue piercing makes me squeamish. If I were on an admissions committee I'd be turned off by an applicant with a pierced tongue. I would try not to let it bias me, but we're all only human. You have to use your judgement here--your freedom to express yourself versus the possibility of offending or shocking an admissions person (esp. older generation).

 

[I heart Biology]

Around 80% of job inteviews are decided off of "first appearances," which include clothing, hair color, attractiveness, and... piercings... I think many admissions committee's wouldn't be able to help their discrimination against piercings at an interview, it is inherent in many people to judge on outwardly appearances...

I agree that schools do judge you by the way you look, but I also included that I was accepted at the schools I interviewed at. So I guess they don't look at a small piercing as a major issue. I also did say that I think it is a good idea to take it out just to be safe. You never know if it will bother someone. I actually had an issue with the shoes I wore to an interview. They were heels but they were also open toe. The one man that interviewed me did not want to accept me because he thought I had on flip flops ( keep in mind I was wearing a suit). The only reason I know this is because the dean of admissions also interviewed me and she called my pre-med advisor to see if they was something I would do. It worked out in the end because I got into the school, but it taught me to be really careful about what I wear to interviews. It also shows that the man was a lot more concerned with my shoes than with my piercings.

 

[strawberryfield]

I actually had an issue with the shoes I wore to an interview. They were heels but they were also open toe. The one man that interviewed me did not want to accept me because he thought I had on flip flops ( keep in mind I was wearing a suit). The only reason I know this is because the dean of admissions also interviewed me and she called my pre-med advisor to see if they was something I would do. It worked out in the end because I got into the school, but it taught me to be really careful about what I wear to interviews. It also shows that the man was a lot more concerned with my shoes than with my piercings.

You'd think if he was going to complain, he'd at least know what he was complaining about! i.e. what flip-flops look like vs. an open-toed shoe! I mean flip flops expose your entire foot except two thin straps!

Good thing they verified it with your advisor. lol

 

[Doctor Bagel]

You'd think if he was going to complain, he'd at least know what he was complaining about! i.e. what flip-flops look like vs. an open-toed shoe! I mean flip flops expose your entire foot except two thin straps!

Good thing they verified it with your advisor. lol

that just had to have been the oddest phone conversation ever. i guess it goes to show us that we really can't wear open toed shoes to interviews. i guess my old lady conservatism (i mean i'm almost 30) paid off on that one because i'd never wear open toed shoes to a formal interview. 🙂

 

[strawberryfield]

that just had to have been the oddest phone conversation ever. i guess it goes to show us that we really can't wear open toed shoes to interviews. i guess my old lady conservatism (i mean i'm almost 30) paid off on that one because i'd never wear open toed shoes to a formal interview. 🙂

Well, my mom told me I absolutely had to wear closed-toed pumps because they were more professional. I guess I'm used to closed-toed shoes in medicine anyhow due to biohazards!
Luckily I found some comfortable ones that were stylish and not too old-lady-ish! 😉

 

[libo1369]

I have no piercings but do not find the Rooke to be offensive. So long as you look and act proffesional it should not be a problem. I believe that this is one of presentation. If you look and act like you live this off the wall alternative I have more pierced than you see lifestyle then you may have some dificulties. If it is you and you got it for a reason other than gee it looks neat then leave it. Express yourself so long as it is not flamboyant it simply expresses you. Good luck!

 

[EctopicFetus]

Whether or not people like it you are in a field where you are expected to look "professional". This DOES mean conforming to society. Now what people cant see wont hurt them but I can tell you some attendings esp older ones think that anything other than 2 simple holes in the ears of women is a sign of disrespect to your patient and your profession. I think that this has already been resolved but I would say that for interviews I would conform, then do whatever you want during your 1st 2 yrs as you will have little patient contact. After that it is time to grow up (no offense).

 

[beastmaster]

I wore my cock ring proudly to interviews.

 

[jbone]

I wore my cock ring proudly to interviews.

WTF???? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😱 (prince albert?)
Lord, I apologize. 😳

 

[raspberry swirl]

i have multiple piercings. i leave them all in. on my 6th week of my internal medicine rotation, my attendings goes "hey did you just your nose pierced?" and i looked at him like he was insane. my reply "gee, i guess im even more invisible than i thought!" 6 weeks! on my radiology rotation, my attending (an older indian woman) told me i looked beautiful, and that in india, piercings are a sign of beauty. my reply to her "could you please call my mother and tell her that you think that?". i did not take my piercings out for interviews or rotations (im about to start my 7th rotation), but i make sure the jewerly i have in them is very small and modest, and i believe that i conduct myself professionally, and hence my piercings have never been a problem (and i should mention that go to lecom with the nazi dress code. if any school is going to have a problem, it would probably be lecom . . .) i think its weird to take your piercings out for interviews if you plan on wearing them all other times during medical school. i sort of feel like its interviewing on false pretenses. although you do have to be aware that somebody somewhere might have a problem with them, i guess.

 

[DrMom]

i have multiple piercings. i leave them all in. on my 6th week of my internal medicine rotation, my attendings goes "hey did you just your nose pierced?" and i looked at him like he was insane. my reply "gee, i guess im even more invisible than i thought!" 6 weeks! on my radiology rotation, my attending (an older indian woman) told me i looked beautiful, and that in india, piercings are a sign of beauty. my reply to her "could you please call my mother and tell her that you think that?". i did not take my piercings out for interviews or rotations (im about to start my 7th rotation), but i make sure the jewerly i have in them is very small and modest, and i believe that i conduct myself professionally, and hence my piercings have never been a problem (and i should mention that go to lecom with the nazi dress code. if any school is going to have a problem, it would probably be lecom . . .) i think its weird to take your piercings out for interviews if you plan on wearing them all other times during medical school. i sort of feel like its interviewing on false pretenses. although you do have to be aware that somebody somewhere might have a problem with them, i guess.

My experience has been very much like this. I have my nose pierced, along with multiple earrings. I wear very small, conservative jewelery & the only time this has ever been an issue is with a resident who was afraid that the attendings would chew him out. Turns out that the attendings didn't care (in fact, a couple of them said they really liked the nose ring). I wore my nose ring on residency interviews, too.

As long as the jewlery isn't really excessive (ie: multiple facial piercings or large jewelry) and you behave professionally & otherwise dress professionally I really don't think it'll be a problem.

All this said, I keep a piercing retainer with me. If an attending on rotation were to ask me to remove my nose ring I'd do it without complaint. Not worth making a scene for somewhere I'm only at for a few weeks & for someone who's going to give me a grade.

 

[EctopicFetus]

Dr mom do you wear them to your residency interviews? I am curious only because I have seen a few women candidates and while I can see they still have numerous holes in their ears etc, NONE have had anything in them except for perhaps a clear stud to keep the hole open. Just curious on this. I personally dont think it matters all that much. That being said I think EM might be a little more lax than say Medicine or surgery.

 

[musiclink213]

Since it seems like a few people on here have nose rings, I have a question I always wondered (sorry for hijacking the thread). How do you blow your nose with a nose ring? If I was interviewing someone with a nose ring, that would be one of the first questions I'd be dying to ask.

 

[DrMom]

Dr mom do you wear them to your residency interviews? I am curious only because I have seen a few women candidates and while I can see they still have numerous holes in their ears etc, NONE have had anything in them except for perhaps a clear stud to keep the hole open. Just curious on this. I personally dont think it matters all that much. That being said I think EM might be a little more lax than say Medicine or surgery.

I actually have the answer to that in my earlier post 😉. Yes, I did. If I'm going to spend 3-4 years there in training, they really should see me as-is. Honestly, overall I look very conservative.

 

[DrMom]

Since it seems like a few people on here have nose rings, I have a question I always wondered (sorry for hijacking the thread). How do you blow your nose with a nose ring? If I was interviewing someone with a nose ring, that would be one of the first questions I'd be dying to ask.

You blow your nose just like anyone else. It isn't an interference. BTW: mine noserings are studs, not actual rings.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Since it seems like a few people on here have nose rings, I have a question I always wondered (sorry for hijacking the thread). How do you blow your nose with a nose ring? If I was interviewing someone with a nose ring, that would be one of the first questions I'd be dying to ask.

lol, that same way you'd do it if you didn't have a nose ring. my hunch is that you're thinking nose rings are like ear rings and have a straight post that pokes into your nostril. the post is actually curvy, so it doesn't poke the inside of your nose when you blow it. 🙂

here's what they look like.

http://www.bodyjewelry4sale.com/nosestuds.html