What to wear for patient interviews?

Hi,

I've recently started my 1st year of Medicine, and in the coming weeks I will be meeting patients for the first time in a clinical setting and conducting basic medical interviews. What is the appropriate clothing for this? I'm aware that I should look respectable, i.e, not tracksuits or hoodies and such, but how formal should it be?

Any views or experiences would be most welcome

Also any tips in general for my first patient experiences would be great!

Think 'appropriate for work'. Ask yourself, would someone working in an office wear this? Would a teacher wear this? Use that as your guide. But as for how formal, that's entirely down to personal taste and what you feel comfortable in. Some guys like a suit and tie, some prefer chinos and a chequered shirt. Some girls like pencil skirts and heels, some prefer... chinos and a chequered shirt. It really is up to you. Wear what you feel good in.

More important is what NOT to wear. Excessive jewelry is a no. And bear in mind that if you wear a tie or a watch you may be asked to take them off (fine in GP, but not in hospital due to bare below the elbows and infection control concerns).

General tips... The most important thing is to remember that patients are people, and be nice to them! A bit of friendly small talk can go a long way. Ask them how they are and about themselves etc.

Remember to introduce yourself and make it clear that you're a first year medical student. The patients will probably have been told that you are new to this, but if they haven't it is okay to tell them yourself. They usually get you to speak to really nice friendly old people who aren't scary at all, but they'll be extra nice if they know why you're a bit lost.

Good luck, you'll be fine

Sorry, but you'll look like a tit showing up as a first year in suit and tie for clinical skills sessions

Chinos (they don't have to be slacks), smart button-up shirt and smart shoes will do the trick.

Really? It's reasonably common in my uni. Some guys would turn up like that on the first day and then turn it down for later sessions, but there are quite a few guys I see around who just seem to really like suits. So long as you own it I don't think you look like a tit at all.

Surely people are told not to wear suits around the hospital though, as you aren't really meant to wear ties or long-sleeved jackets?

Surely people are told not to wear suits around the hospital though, as you aren't really meant to wear ties or long-sleeved jackets?

Medical students in suits and/or ties on the ward...

Don't get me wrong, I love suits, but come on...

Save it for a conference!

Why can't men/women wear ties? (srs)

Hygiene?

My point was more along the lines that it's a bit cringe that a medical student (be it first year or whatever year) would be wearing a suit and/or tie to the ward, just by virtue of it being really cringey. There is also the infection control risk of having long sleeves (allegedly) but mostly everywhere is bare below the elbows now. The tie flapping around is definitely an infection control risk as it'll be all over all of the patients as you're bending over to examine them blah blah. You'll also be very unlikely to dry clean your tie after every day, so it'll likely just sit in your drawer and fester until you use it again. All in all it's gross. And you could get blood/vomit/poo on it. What a waste of a tie.

On a similar note I had to throw away my first shirt because of a blood splatter. Sad day. Was my favourite pale blue shirt.

Consultants (consultants, not first year medical students) that I've seen wear ties tuck them in and it seems that's fine from an infection control perspective.

Well, not a suit, but I thought a tie was considered OK as it's "smart casual". I suspected the infection risk might be a thing though.

How much blood/vomit/poo do you realistically deal with as a first year? (Not applied yet so I'm a noob, considering doing so though)

RIP shirt

So it's a status thing, besides the infection risk only male and female consultants wear ties?

Ruins the look if you tuck em in TBH haha

So it's a status thing, besides the infection risk only male and female consultants wear ties?

Which professional female have you ever seen wear a tie past school?!

Posted from TSR Mobile

I've never seen a female consultant wearing a tie.

As for the men, I wouldn't say it's particularly common at the hospitals I've been at. And it tends to be clustered amongst certain specialties e.g. surgery and cardiology which may or may not also have a higher proportion of old school conservatives and show offs than other specialties

I've done work experience at IB firms/smaller banks. Saw quite a few with them there! Saw an HR lady with one in my current job too (in my 20s).

Have you only worked in medicine? If you've been in an industry like finance or law you'll have seen at least a couple of women with ties. I don't think people wear ties much in medicine, yeah. But if we're talking professional women in general, as you state



It's more common in places outside medicine maybe.

Is there a particular reason for this higher proportion among those specialities?

Ties like that are much more of a fashion statement, and the majority of doctors don't have the time, money or inclination to make such statements.
And yes I've only worked in medicine. But I still think ties are a rarity on women.

Not that rare outside medicine, certainly in a lot of professional fields.

I imagine heels are also a complete no no for obvious reasons

Perhaps if you're only in clinics you would wear a modest heel. But yes, generally comfort takes precedence.

Out of curiosity, do women usually wear/not wear make-up as well?