RHC81 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 What do you, as practicing PAs, wear to work? Scrubs, jeans, slacks/skirts, or suits? I'm trying to make smart decisions regarding my professional wardrobe, which, up to this point, has consisted mainly of scrubs; in my previous career, we wore jeans, mostly. I obviously will invest a bit of money in a nice interviewing suit, but I'm not sure what else to consider. For school, it seems they want "professional attire" - I presume this means slacks, closed-toed shoes, office-type shirts. But I'm just curious about the world after school. Is it worth buying a decent-sized professional wardrobe during school? In other words, will I wear that afterwards? Or should I just buy simple pieces for school, knowing that I may well end up in scrubs professionally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBoy Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 All through PA school I wore a nice dress shirt (+/- tie depending on the location) and dress pants. Once I started working nights in internal medicine, this went out the window- scrubs with a white coat and a full beard is how I go to work now. Mine as well be comfortable at 3am. That being said, when I do work days, I'll still wear a button down shirt and slacks with my white coat- so yes, I would buy 4-5 different work combos you could wear that will get you through school, but also will be good go to clothes for work or when you go to meetings at work, etc.. I don't wear these clothes anywhere else, so these clothes are just comfortable, pretty good looking clothes that get me through a work day. Certainly don't buy high end stuff, unless you want to be that person at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unewillow Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The majority of your clinical rotation sites will require you to be dressed in a nice pants/shirt. The exceptions of course being surgery and probably the ED. But even then, there will be days where you will have to look nice (ie: your first day). I would invest in a versatile wardrobe so it doesn't look like you are wearing the same outfit day after day/week after week. Once you are in the professional world, dress code depends on where you work. If I go into an office setting, I generally expect the clinician in buisness clothing (unless they have a valid reason to be wearing scrubs). If you work in a hospital based setting you may wear scrubs every day. But maybe not, my attendings wear nice clothing to come in and round...mainly because they don't go to deliveries or do the procedures. You know **** is going down if they come in wearing scrubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physasst Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Depends on where you work. At Mayo, when you work in the clinic, you are ALWAYS in a suit. It is considered unprofessional to go into the clinic setting in scrubs and a white coat. For me, since I work in the ED, I wear jeans and a shirt in, and change into scrubs at work for my clinical role. As a good portion of my time is spent in administrative meetings, or research functions, I still wear a suit frequently as well. BTW, Patients LOVE the fact that we dress that way at Mayo....I cannot tell you how many patients would remark at how professional it all seemed, and how refreshing it was to see doctors like that. Occasionally, if you are in surgery, and you need to get something in clinic, you can sneak over quickly in a white coat and scrubs, and they won't say anything if it is brief, but if you spend a lot of time like that....someone will say something. This also brings a up a HUGE pet peeve of mine....dress at annual meetings. I am sometimes quite embarrassed at how PAs and NPs can dress at CME meetings. I'm sorry, but shorts and sandals ARE never appropriate at a professional function.....EVER. Not saying everyone has to wear a suit, but a collared shirt and slacks with shoes should be a minimum. I think it reflects very poorly on our profession when I go to the AAPA and see how so many of the attendees are dressed. I tend to attend more research, policy, and physician meetings nowadays, and I never see people dressed at any of those like I see at the PA meetings. I think of all the public employees, hotel employees, cab drivers, etc. that are seeing PAs meeting, and then the impression that they are getting....It's a huge disappointment to me at least. I know, many of you will disagree, so feel free to flame away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 What do you, as practicing PAs, wear to work? *********** [ATTACH=CONFIG]854[/ATTACH] ************ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 *********** [ATTACH=CONFIG]854[/ATTACH] ************ Thanks for the laugh on this empty ED night shift. Not complaining about it being slow though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHC81 Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Love it, Contrarian!! And, MikeyBoy, I'll leave my Prada heels at home (I'm a woman). :) In all seriousness, thanks to everyone. I will go for the versatile mix-and-match approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted January 9, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 9, 2012 *********** [ATTACH=CONFIG]854[/ATTACH] ************ darn that is funny.... esp in light of your choosen practice.... I am in out patient office based urgent care slacks, dress shirt, occasionally a tie, very rarely jeans (nice new pair but only maybe once a month), very very rarely a scrub top... in the interview process ALWAYS wear a suit - look the part of a high value employee and act it also - much of the value to be determined in the interview (dating portion of employment) is made with gut reactions and feelings - you show up in a nice suit and looking worth 100k a year and they might pay you that - you show up in tatered old clothes and it is a perception that you are worth less...... I have had a total of about 9 different jobs in ten years (lots of per diem and short gigs) and I am always the nicest dressed in the room for interviews unless I am meeting with an HR professional then I am typically dressed about the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulPA Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Rotations was either Scrubs all the time or business casual. Job- Hospital 1- Business casual every day; Hospital 2- scrubs everyday (love this) Business casual- nice, comfortable, non slip shoes, Chino or nice pants. Polos, Guys- button shirt, tie; Gals- nice shirt(no cleavage). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialMedicine Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 If you practice medicine in a setting where infection control (ICU) or blood spillage (ED, Surgery) is not an issue than you should be dressed in a shirt and tie minumum. You are steering someones health and better dress appropriate for it. Instill confidence in your patient and show that you respect the setting and what happens in it. ALSO if you do not do these thngs there is another doctor or PA right around the corner ... maybe even another one in your practice that looked a bit better in the hallway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stjprn Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I do Occ Health and Emergency care in a casino/resort. I wear scrub pants, good quality long sleeved white cotton shirt, lab coat and crocs. I need to be able to move fast and comfortably, and get into some messy situations and contorted positions to extricate patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridiculopathy Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 scrub bottoms and polo top with good sneakers. i work in a high paced IM office in south fla and our a/c is in critical condition!!! cant dress nicer b/c i'll be sweating all over the patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Business caszh Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Caught a "Buy 1 suit... get 2 free" sale last week... at Jos A. Bank. I paid for 2 suits at $179 each... brought home 6 suits...:cool::cool: Then paid $70 + tip for "tailoring/alterations" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Jos. A banks and men's wearhouse is my new favorite stores! There's always a deal to be had! Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Also check our "K&G" superstore... There are deals to be had...!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsquirrel Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Does anyone have any tips for good deals on womens' suits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klb48 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I worked nights in CT surg ICU. I wear jeans and a t-shirt to work, and change into the scrubs the hospital provides when I get there! Absolutely love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Does anyone have any tips for good deals on womens' suits? Yes .... "K&G" also has womens suits... and had the same "Buy 1 get 2 free" deal on them. See here: Linky 2 piece Female suit Deals.... $59: here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsquirrel Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 fantastic! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 i would not spend a lot of money on suites. You will have to wear a white coat throughout your student life that identifies you as a student... Ann Taylor has great sales on slacks and tops, that are very professional looking and will carry you beyond school. They also have great dresses too. The other option is consignment shops... but a good selection of slacks and tops will get you through school... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planteater Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I got two really nice women's suits (Italian merino wool) for around $30- one at a consignment store and the other at a thrift store. We have some wealthy areas withing 20 minutes of us- they are a great place to look at secondhand stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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