White coat..which size to get?

[XRanger]

On the website it says:
Medium chest size 40-42, waist size 30-32.
Large chest size 44-46, waist size 34-36

Normally I wear Medium stuff. My waist size is 33, but my chest size is 38. I don't know if I should get the medium one or larger one. The school website says it's better to go up a size since it may shrink and it's better to carry stuff in the pockets. What do u think? I'm leaning towards large size but i dont want to to be too baggy either.

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[FlowLimited]

On the website it says:
Medium chest size 40-42, waist size 30-32.
Large chest size 44-46, waist size 34-36

Normally I wear Medium stuff. My waist size is 33, but my chest size is 38. I don't know if I should get the medium one or larger one. The school website says it's better to go up a size since it may shrink and it's better to carry stuff in the pockets. What do u think? I'm leaning towards large size but i dont want to to be too baggy either.

It's often best to try them on before you buy. Is there any way you can get to your school to check them out in person? Remember, going up in size is going to make the sleeves longer too. They can be adjusted, but it's just something else to consider.

 

[pietachok]

In my experience white coats aren't cut to accommodate for ...ample bosoms. If I get a coat that fits my chest, it will be huge on me everywhere else (shoulders, arms, length) and make me feel like a marshmallow. If I get a coat that fits the rest of me, I might not be able to comfortably button it across the chest. When I wear these for my current job, I always prefer not to button it...but maybe that's not an option for all of med school.

SO...as a med student, do you ever care if you button your jacket?

 

[qmcat]

Try going to a medical equipment store or some place that sells white coats and try them on. I think general rule of thumb is the coat size is the same size as your suit jacket size (for guys), but it's best to try it on to make sure.

 

[jvesco22]

In general, just go with the bigger size. If it turns out to be too big a fit, then just get it tailored, problem solved!

 

[xanthomondo]

Go bigger. After MS1 you may fill it out perfectly

 

[Depakote]

My rule of thumb...

What size is your suit jacket? Get one size up from that. (two if the jacket is tight)

You want it to be comfortable, and you're going to be stuffing a lot of books, articles and equipment in the pockets.

 

[Blesbok]

If you have a 38 inch chest, a large coat is going to look absolutely ridiculous on you. The shoulders will hang down to your elbows.

 

[riceman04]

Go bigger. After MS1 you may fill it out perfectly

nooooooooooooooo!!!!

 

[njbmd]

On the website it says:
Medium chest size 40-42, waist size 30-32.
Large chest size 44-46, waist size 34-36

Normally I wear Medium stuff. My waist size is 33, but my chest size is 38. I don't know if I should get the medium one or larger one. The school website says it's better to go up a size since it may shrink and it's better to carry stuff in the pockets. What do u think? I'm leaning towards large size but i dont want to to be too baggy either.

Go a size larger like the school says. These coats shrink and a tight coat looks awful. Don't worry about what you "normally" wear. You may not remain "normal" for very long.

 

[Law2Doc]

Go a size larger like the school says. These coats shrink and a tight coat looks awful. Don't worry about what you "normally" wear. You may not remain "normal" for very long.

Agree with this - go big. Not so much because they shrink -- most are made of cheaper textile blends and actually won't shrink so bad, but because you are going to try and stick a stupid amount of stuff into the pockets, both the inside and outside ones, and that cuts down the dimensions appreciably. By fourth year you will have empty pockets and never button it anyhow so the size isn't as much of an issue, but for third year you want it oversized.

 

[turkeyjerky]

Definitely do NOT get a large; it'd make you look ridiculous. Go for the medium. The white coats are generally sized larger than normal clothes already (much like scrubs). You'll have plenty of room for stuff in your pockets with the medium.

Offices always encourage people to get bigger sizes, I think because they assume we'll all gain a bunch of weight or something (which isn't for sure at all--I lost ten pounds my first year). A lot of people who take their advice end up looking ******ed, like they're playing dress up with their dad's white coat.

 

[diosa428]

You will probably ultimately end up owning multiple white coats because they get dirty and you won't be able to wear the same one every day of third year. They're generally not that expensive, so it really doesn't matter. If you get a large and you don't like how it fits, get a medium and keep the large as an extra. You'll need it at some point anyway.

 

[Law2Doc]

...The white coats are generally sized larger than normal clothes already (much like scrubs). You'll have plenty of room for stuff in your pockets with the medium....

Couldn't disagree more. If the white coats at your school generally run large, then your school is not using the same supplier that many of us have experienced. As mentioned by several of us above in this thread, they run SMALL.

 

[MossPoh]

Couldn't disagree more. If the white coats at your school generally run large, then your school is not using the same supplier that many of us have experienced. As mentioned by several of us above in this thread, they run SMALL.

Agreed. I had to get a 2x and I normally wear XL stuff. The 2X is actually a little tight around my shoulders. (Keep in mind I'm 6'5" and almost 260 now)

 

[turkeyjerky]

Couldn't disagree more. If the white coats at your school generally run large, then your school is not using the same supplier that many of us have experienced. As mentioned by several of us above in this thread, they run SMALL.

Well, the OP said the mediums at his school were chest size 40-42", I'd say that that is considerably larger than the medium sizes at most stores, which are usually 38". Maybe the coats at your school run small, but that's obviously not the case here.

 

[Law2Doc]

...Maybe the coats at your school run small, but that's obviously not the case here.

I have coats from two different vendors and they are both puny. And MossPoh and njbmd seem to have had the same experience, per above. So OP, I sure wouldn't expect them to run big unless you go to turkeyjerkey's school.

 

[turkeyjerky]

I have coats from two different vendors and they are both puny. And MossPoh and njbmd seem to have had the same experience, per above. So OP, I sure wouldn't expect them to run big unless you go to turkeyjerkey's school.

Man, you must've been a great lawyer...