Tag Archives: Professional Appearance

Power Dressing For Female Clinicians

If you’re a female leader in medicine (or are heading down that path) there will be times when you need to step up your style to convey the appearance of the powerful, take-charge woman that you are!

So the next time you have an interview, presentation, important meeting or even just are having a professional headshot taken, follow these basic guidelines so that you can present yourself as a polished, skilled leader.

Skirt suit or pants suit

You can’t go wrong with a business professional skirt/pants suit, as long as it fits you properly. This is an opportunity to let your personal style show a bit more, and it can make a powerful statement if you go outside the box of traditional colors (think black, navy, grey) to opt for a bolder, more unique color like a burnt ochre, or deep plum – you can even play around with unexpected patterns like plaid or stripes, as long as the color palette is muted and still professional.

Crisp white button down shirt

If you don’t have this in your wardrobe already, bite the bullet and get one. This is not only perfect for professional settings, but it’s an extremely versatile piece that you will find dozens of opportunities to wear throughout the year.

My recommendation for purchasing a button down shirt is to not necessarily go for the most expensive or the cheapest option. You should shop for a middle-of-the-range shirt that isn’t absurdly priced, but is still made with quality materials, and take it to a professional tailor to have it fitted perfectly to your body. This simple step will make it look like the most expensive shirt you own!

Low heels or pumps

You should have at least one pair of nice dress pumps in your closet, but I would recommend against any heels higher than 3 inches. For one, they aren’t as comfortable, no matter how much you might relate to Sarah Jessica Parker’s affinity for sky-high heels. Secondly, super high heels can be distracting and don’t look as professional as a more modest heel.

Tailored lab coat with name & title embroidery

You worked hard for your credentials, so show them off by having them embroidered on your lab coat. And while you’re at it, get a lab coat that actually fits you – not the cheap, semi-see-through, unisex lab coats you might be used to. Even if you don’t think you’ll wear it in a clinical setting, you should have at least one professional tailored lab coat that will make you look polished.

Medelita offers quite a range of different tailored lab coats for female professionals, and they offer in-house embroidery services so that you can skip the step of taking it to a separate embroidery studio to have your name and title added.

lab-coats-for-powerful-women-in-medicine

lab-coats-for-powerful-women-in-medicine

Basic Head-To-Toe Wardrobe For Female Doctors And Clinicians

Just because you often have to wear a uniform during work, doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish while also professional. Here is a great standard outfit for women working in healthcare, which you can either use by itself or as an outfit template that you inject more of your own personal style into later on.

Underscrub shirt

This is a little different than your average undershirt because it is designed to fit comfortably under scrubs without restricting movement, all while keeping you cool and dry. The performance fabric ensures you’ll stay warm in frigid hospital hallways, and cool when you step out into the sun.

Women's Underscrub Tee

Women’s Underscrub Tee

Shop underscrub shirts.

Fitted scrubs

Scrubs are, of course, the foundation to most (not all) work wardrobes for those who work in healthcare. If so, it’s probably well past time to throw out your shabby old scrubs and upgrade to a nicer quality set. If you already have invested in a high-quality set of scrubs, good for you!

Shop fitted scrubs.

Wristwatch

Whether you’re digital or analog, you can make your outfit your own with touches of personal style such as a functional and fashionable wristwatch. This is the most sensible accessory, since it does serve a purpose in addition to looking cute!

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Shop women’s watches.

Walking shoes or clogs

If you’re on your feet all day at work, save yourself from a world of pain and do some research about what kind of shoes you should be wearing to avoid a myriad of foot and back problems. We recommend these clogs from Sanita, which is known for producing super high-quality handmade orthopedic clogs.

clogs

Shop Sanita clogs.

Professional lab coat

Finish off your professional outfit with a tailored lab coat. Many brands now offer polished styles designed specifically for a woman’s body, which will ensure that you don’t have a boxy silhouette. Today’s options for women’s lab coats is quite large, with a selection of flattering styles for different body types.

Emma W Lab Coat

Shop professional lab coats.

hospital-uniform-program

Hospitals Can Boost Physician Morale With A Better Uniform

Physician burnout rates are on the rise, and integrated health systems across the country are trying to find ways to keep their physicians, and therefore their patients, happy. One of the easiest ways a hospital can keep their staff more satisfied with their job is by offering an on-the-job perk such as a new uniform program.

Investing in the professional appearance of your physicians tells them that you have confidence in their skills. A sharp and polished appearance also gives patients more trust in their physicians. This ultimately does translate to more satisfied patients, happier doctors, and better health outcomes.

The two main considerations for a new uniform program for your brand or hospital are appearance and function.

Appearance

According to Brandtwist.com, “Employees care about how they look. An attractive uniform can greatly enhance self-esteem, which in turn improves attitude. One extremely important detail is the fit. Baggy or tight garments can make employees feel self-conscious and less confident in interacting with customers. Other important details include color, fabric, and style, which should reflect the company brand.”

Function

This consideration is especially important in a highly demanding role of a physician. Lab coats and scrubs must be able to stand up to wear and tear, and they must satisfy the demands of the job. This includes being made with highly functional performance fabrics, having plenty of pockets for storage, and a design that doesn’t limit movement.

Hospital Uniforms

Wear Pink To Show Support For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In case you didn’t know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month where cancer survivors, their families and friends, and our community as a whole can band together and show our solidarity for the fight against the disease.

There are many ways you can show your support, and this month you are likely to see a lot of pink ribbons, which is the most notable symbol for breast cancer awareness.

One of the best ways you can show your support for this important cause is to don a pink hue for a day – bonus points if you can get your friends and coworkers to all wear pink as well and host your own Pink-Out Day in honor of breast cancer awareness.

Scrubs and lab coats company Medelita recently had a Pink-Out Day of their own to show their support for their community. Everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by breast cancer, and it’s important that we all come together to show that we can “think pink” as a community.

Medelita's Pink Out Day

Medelita’s Pink Out Day

professional-appearance-for-doctors

Doctors: Dress For The Job That You Have

No doubt you have heard this saying throughout your professional life:

Dress for the job that you want, not for the job that you have.

For most professionals this is sound advice. In the business world, how can you expect to advance your career if you don’t look the part? There’s no second chance for a first impression, and presenting yourself professionally is a huge visual cue for whether or not people will take you seriously in the workplace.

But for doctors, it’s a little different because you’ve already put in the dirty work to get the job that you want! Pat yourself on the back, because the path to becoming a doctor is certainly not an easy one.

Given the amount of time, energy, and hours of sleep you sacrificed to your medical career, doesn’t it make sense to dress like someone who takes their job seriously? By this I mean, why take the risk of your patients or colleagues not taking you as seriously because you’re wearing sloppy, wrinkled scrubs and a cheap-fitting lab coat?

It would be nice if we lived in a world where people didn’t judge books by their cover. But we don’t, and they do. Whether subconsciously or not, people tend to make assumptions based on your visual appearance. For this reason, it’s worth it to invest a little more in your professional appearance by upgrading to the high quality, tailored medical uniforms that are available today.

Five Best Accessories For Doctors

Whether you’re looking for a gift for that doctor in your life, or you’re a doctor yourself who’s looking for a way to infuse your personal style into your professional wardrobe, here are some of the cutest and coolest doctor accessories for someone who loves medicine.

Stethoscope Cufflinks

Doctor Accessories Cufflink

Check them out here. 

Silver-Plated Caduceus Earrings

Caduceus Earrings For Doctors

Check them out here.

Human Heart Retractable ID Badge

ID Badge Accessories For Doctors

Check it out here.

Stainless Steel Lung Keychain

Keychain Accessory For Doctors

Check it out here.

Neuron Necktie

Necktie For Doctors Accessories For Doctors

Check it out here.

stain-resistant-lab-coat

The Biggest Factor Of Choosing Your Lab Coat

A lab coat to a physician is what a suit is to a business person. That’s why you really shouldn’t cut corners when it comes to picking out a lab coat – if you picked out a cheap, shoddy lab coat what does that say about you? Believe me, your patients and colleagues will notice if you have been thrifty (or stingy, depending on how you look at it) with your uniform shopping, and one of the biggest reasons for that is that cheap lab coats are made with cheap fabric.

On the other hand, a nicer quality lab coat will really show. Quality is apparent in the cut, style and details of your coat, and a professional appearance for a doctor also depends on that coat being impeccably bright white.

So the biggest factor of choosing a lab coat…is the ability of that lab coat to release stains.

You don’t need me to tell you that during your shifts there is a large chance you’ll get some sort of bodily fluid on your clothes, or spill your coffee, or have a pen explode in your pocket. Once a coat is stained, you really can’t wear it again, so to make your lab coat last you as long as possible, you should find a high quality white lab coat made with a performance fabric.

Most performance fabrics are made with the wearer in mind. In the case of performance lab coats, this means that the lab coat should easily release stains in the wash. That way you can wear your coat again and again without having to throw it out once it gets a stain!

Cute Lab Coat For Women

My Favorite Lab Coat For Female Physicians, Nurses, and PAs

There are many lab coats today for women in medicine – a big change from the scant options available 8 years ago. It’s great for female healthcare professionals to have the option to choose a professional white lab coat that is figure-flattering and shows off your personal style.

There are classic options for women in medicine who prefer the more traditional look of a lab coat – no frills, just a high quality professional white coat, but for women. However I personally prefer a more modern style: the Vera G. lab coat from Medelita.

Flattering Feminine Lab Coat

The Vera G. has a modern style and is still professional.

Named for the first female surgeon in Russia, Vera Gedroiz, the Vera G. lab coat is exceptionally flattering for women with a lean, athletic figure. It is a slim-cut lab coat; the slim fit is great because it skims over your body without being clingy, tight, or uncomfortable. It’s just incredibly flattering and gives you more confidence while making your rounds, consulting with patients, or even just interacting with your colleagues at an event or medical conference.

What I love most about the Vera G. is the sleek construction. It features a beautiful envelope collar, a super professional and modern looking detail which I’ve hardly found on a blazer or suit jacket, much less a medical lab coat.

Envelope Collar on Lab Coat

Envelope Collar on Lab Coat

Comfortable Professional Medical Shoes

Comfortable and Professional Shoes For Doctors

Take care of your feet!

Doctors, you know that if you’re spending many hours on your feet during the workday, you need to be responsible about your footwear in order to avoid some serious hip, foot, and back problems. The issue is that it can be challenging to find footwear that provides orthopedic arch support but still looks professional enough to meet with patients and colleagues without feeling like you borrowed your grandparent’s shoes.

Danish clog company Sanita has been hand-making medical clogs for years that are supremely comfortable, and offer the right kind of arch support so that your lower back isn’t hurting halfway through your workweek. These clogs are also very professional looking and come in many different finishes so that you can choose the color – black and brown leather are popular choices – and the different finishes of the leather, such as patent, suede, or polished. Each of these options are versatile enough that you can wear them every day, both in a clinical setting and after work when you’re running errands.

Sanita has really made an art of creating the perfect shoe for medical professionals, whether you’re a physician, resident, nurse, or PA. They are professional and comfortable, and super durable. It takes a little while to get used to the feel of these clogs, but within a day you will find yourself walking with ease and comfort, and after a week the find leather insoles will have already conformed to the exact shape of your foot.

These shoes are proof that as a doctor or other medical professional, you don’t need to sacrifice comfort for professional-looking shoes and vise versa. Comfort and professionalism are not mutually exclusive!

Doctors Uniforms and Other Professionals

How Do Doctors’ Uniforms Stack Up To Other Professions?

What someone wears says a lot about them as a person. And dress code attire at work certainly says a lot about a person’s job. Whether you have the ability to create your own business wardrobe, or whether you have a strict uniform you adhered to each day, dressing for success is important for any professional, despite their field of work.

Lawyer: Conservative and business professional. It’s business suits and ties all around for this profession. As a job where the majority of one’s time is usually spent in an office and-or in a courtroom, it’s important to always look the part, to always dress to impress. Even your best pair of expensive jeans are a no-go in this environment. Clients aren’t going to trust their legal issues with just anyone, afterall.

Engineer: Business casual. This is a career that requires employees to look professional, but also be comfortable and safe, depending on the specific job. Khakis, skirts, blouses and polos are all acceptable attire for most engineering firms. However those who work in more physically demanding areas, such as at power plants or construction sites may be found wearing jeans, as well as mandatory safety helmets and even steel-toed boots.

Accountant: Smart; business casual. It is important for accountants to look ‘smart,’ both fashionably and in terms of their job skills. Unless you’re meeting with a big-name client, dressing head to toe in formal business wear is usually not necessary. However, dressing down in khakis and a polo shirt is probably not the best choice either. Try finding a good fit somewhere in between. Dress pants, skirts, button-down shirts and blouses, along with semi-formal footwear, are great choices for a comfortable look with a sleek, professional edge.

Physician: Functional; business professional. Although ties, dress shoes, and business skirts are usually not an option, it’s important for medical professionals set a certain dress code precedence above your standard of cheap scrubs and ill-fitting lab coat. A physician’s clothing should be “an emblem of their specialty, training and culture.” A physician’s attire should be first and foremost functional, in the way that scrubs are safe around medical equipment, protect from stains and infection, and easy to work in. However, as someone who patients  entrust their health and safety, potentially their lives, it is important to look the part of someone qualified to take on that responsibility. Surveys have shown that in terms of patient satisfaction and trust, it pays off to invest in a good-quality, formal white lab coat.