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Are tattoos on doctors seen as unprofessional?

My ultimate goal in life in general is to become a doctor and I don't care what it takes I hope to get there some day!

So I also want to get some tattoos, only small ones, but would some ink on your wrist honestly turn you down jobs or be seen as inappropriate by patients/colleagues?

All thoughts welcome
I think they would be unprofessional but I'm not sure they're that serious that they could turn you down from a job, damn. 👻
"yes"
Reply 3
Avatar for Another
Another
21
Unfortunately, due to the nature of your job, you are going to be treating a lot of old people and people from all sorts of traditional backgrounds
And a lot of these people wrongly judge that having ink in your skin is unprofessional (or that you belong to a biker's gang or... something else ridiculous)

If you do decide to go for tattoos, put them in a location that can be hidden by a short sleeved tunic if possible. Even if your employers have no issue with them (and your colleagues could probably care less), your patients certainly might.
Original post by Reachin4TheStars
I think they would be unprofessional but I'm not sure they're that serious that they could turn you down from a job, damn. 👻


yeah i really hope they wouldn't turn people away I mean that would be messed up
Original post by Another
Unfortunately, due to the nature of your job, you are going to be treating a lot of old people and people from all sorts of traditional backgrounds
And a lot of these people wrongly judge that having ink in your skin is unprofessional (or that you belong to a biker's gang or... something else ridiculous)

If you do decide to go for tattoos, put them in a location that can be hidden by a short sleeved tunic if possible. Even if your employers have no issue with them (and your colleagues could probably care less), your patients certainly might.


true true fair points thanks
Original post by alkaline.
yeah I think it's better to not blind future patients with such ugliness.
Also tattoos clearly affect your ability to carry out your job.

Spoiler



yeah that's probs a good idea
Original post by musicalmedic
yeah i really hope they wouldn't turn people away I mean that would be messed up


Just make sure they aren't offensive etc 👌🏼💖
Original post by Another
Unfortunately, due to the nature of your job, you are going to be treating a lot of old people and people from all sorts of traditional backgrounds
And a lot of these people wrongly judge that having ink in your skin is unprofessional (or that you belong to a biker's gang or... something else ridiculous)

If you do decide to go for tattoos, put them in a location that can be hidden by a short sleeved tunic if possible. Even if your employers have no issue with them (and your colleagues could probably care less), your patients certainly might.


Who cares if his patients do? They need him to treat them, he doesn't exactly need their approval.

The only important opinion here would be the NHS/some other employer, and given how desperate the NHS are for doctors I can't see it being an issue.
Original post by orange crush
Who cares if his patients do? They need him to treat them, he doesn't exactly need their approval.

The only important opinion here would be the NHS/some other employer, and given how desperate the NHS are for doctors I can't see it being an issue.


*i'm a girl
yeah in a perfect world - i wish. thing is we're too judgemental as a society
Well clearly there's tattoos and there's tattoos.

a swastika over the face is unlikely to be acceptable for any job tbh... where as something 'nice' where no one ever sees it at work is imo unlikely to be a problem in any job these days.
Reply 11
Avatar for tg1998
tg1998
10
Most professions say it's fine as long as they are not on your wrist/hands or above neck line.

Personally I'm cool with it but some professions see otherwise. Mainly because they can say your tattoos look unprofessional or cause offence.
Original post by orange crush
Who cares if his patients do? They need him to treat them, he doesn't exactly need their approval.

The only important opinion here would be the NHS/some other employer, and given how desperate the NHS are for doctors I can't see it being an issue.


It matters a whole lot if he goes down the private route. If his patients don't like him and end up going to another practice... Welp. No money for him. As a result, private practice employers are extremely fussy

Otherwise NHS wise, if a patient doesn't like you from the get go and start to be cold and withdrawn, life just becomes difficult. You give patients advice, and they don't take it (ie - would you take physical health advice from a fat doctor?). You ask them about their symptoms or social life, and they don't give you accurate information so you end up making an inaccurate diagnosis. Even though this is essentially the patient's fault, as a Doctor all the responsibility falls on you. Not an easy life really!

Depending on where OP lives, they can just cross their fingers and hope that most of the population in their area have at least half a brain cell and don't equate body art to how well they do their job
You can have tattoos but just cover them up.
Original post by musicalmedic
My ultimate goal in life in general is to become a doctor and I don't care what it takes I hope to get there some day!

So I also want to get some tattoos, only small ones, but would some ink on your wrist honestly turn you down jobs or be seen as inappropriate by patients/colleagues?

All thoughts welcome




Yeah you can get tattoos as long as it's not visible. For an example, hands and anything below the elbow is not recommended but anyway eles should be fine. :smile:
I also want to become a doctor, of philosophy. And i also have tats?
Reply 16
Avatar for 97Y
97Y
11
I personally think that it's unprofessional.
That's because I never saw the point on drawing on yourself permanently, but that's just my style.
Yes.. I'm afraid that there are many people who just wouldn't like it, and these are the people who's money you want. You can do it, but why make a choice at 18 to realise that it trips you up when you're 40?
Original post by musicalmedic
My ultimate goal in life in general is to become a doctor and I don't care what it takes I hope to get there some day!

So I also want to get some tattoos, only small ones, but would some ink on your wrist honestly turn you down jobs or be seen as inappropriate by patients/colleagues?

All thoughts welcome


As long as it is not offensive, I see no problems for you. If you are a bit insecure, take a body location which can be disguised by clothes instead.

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