What to Wear to a Medical School Interview

[Jordan]

Plus, when you're trying to make a good impression...

Perhaps not everyone at med school interviews IS trying to make a good impression?

 

[rainbows]

Is a sleeveless dress ok?

 

[lumos]

Is a sleeveless dress ok?

Potentially, but if it were me I would wear a cardigan or something over the top. Usually it's best to err on the side of caution and cover yourself up. So personally I wouldn't wear a sleeveless outfit.

 

[chinaski]

No.

 

[Syn]

No.

With all due respect, I don't understand the people who are asking whether jeans (and otherwise smart casual attire) is okay to wear to an interview. This is a potentially game changing, career defining, life making event, why would you not just suck it up and wear the most professional and appropriate attire that you could, regardless of how uncomfortable it would be? Why work this hard to be offered an interview, then disrespect the interviewers, the other candidates, the medical school, and the medical community as a whole, by dressing sub-par?

End rant/start joke: I'm guessing those people are taken by USyd/UQ/non-interview schools

 

[frootloop]

End rant/start joke: I'm guessing those people are taken by USyd/UQ/non-interview schools

*Adjusts jeans, twists baseball cap*

But yeah, seriously. For girls, I can understand why this thread is necessary - what does and doesn't constitute 'professional' seems like such a minefield for girls. But guys... for f**k's sake, just put a suit on, jacket optional. You're likely going to be wearing it to work for the rest of your career, might as well get used to it.

 

[chinaski]

I worry about the sort of shops these people buy from, if they find non-jeans pants "itchy".

 

[Dr Worm]

Same thing I say every year:

You COULD wear shorts/ thongs/ dreads/ miniskirt and be so awesome that you get in. That could happen. But why make it hard for yourself?

Your problem is less likely to be that the interviewer actively hates your outfit, or actively thinks you're inappropriately dressed (but that's possible), and more likely to be that - intentional or otherwise - you risk making a poor impression because they have a subconscious bias (ie whether they mean it or not) and people do make instant judgement based on how you look, so you'd prefer that to be a good impression right?

I'd put it to you that you want to dress about as you would if you were working in a hospital. Like a professional. Your average professional is not dressing that way because that's how they like to dress, but because that's what's expected. And then, especially I'm gonna invoke cultural sensitivity. I'd say: aim to be dressed in a way that wouldn't offend anyone.

re [MENTION=19946]rainbows[/MENTION] sleeveless dress.

Is a sleeveless dress ok?

No. Take a cardigan. The reality is that many cultures have a taboo against uncovered shoulders. I would not go there. I wore a dress with cap sleeves (it was a hot day) and took a cardigan, that I put on when I got there. (NB: I once sweltered in a cardigan in unexpected 35 degree heat in hospital all day, as the top I had underneath it was pretty much NSFW. Nothing for it)

QUOTE] hate the thought of wearing a suit or suit pants which i find super itchy lol, would jeans and button up be passable, like smart casual?[/QUOTE]
You could get away with chinos, or jeans-cut pants not made of denim (so, technically not jeans). Decent pants shouldn't be itchy. You might need to go shopping, or accept itchiness.

DISCLAIMER: Look, I feel your pain. I presently have pink hair. I have pink (and purple and green) hair because it's awesome. Also because I don't have to go to hospitals or interviews for the next 3 months. Please note that I did not dye my hair rainbow coloured until AFTER I finished rotations and OSCE exams for the year.

 

[TripleS]

DISCLAIMER: Look, I feel your pain. I presently have pink hair. I have pink (and purple and green) hair because it's awesome. Also because I don't have to go to hospitals or interviews for the next 3 months. Please note that I did not dye my hair rainbow coloured until AFTER I finished rotations and OSCE exams for the year.

Off topic, but in my experience of clinical rotations, dyed hair has never really been an issue as long as your dressed professionally and you keep your hairstyle neat.

 

[fishes]

Would you guys suggest wearing a tie? Last year I didn't but everyone else there was. I don't really mind/care but if it makes a large difference I'll definitely wear one.

 

[TripleS]

Would you guys suggest wearing a tie? Last year I didn't but everyone else there was. I don't really mind/care but if it makes a large difference I'll definitely wear one.

Don't remember what I did 5 years ago (god I'm old) but I don't think it'll make any difference.

 

[Facebook]

I was interviewing for next year's interns last week and the panel was struck by the different dress standards of the different applicants. For us, the overall question that we were trying to answer is 'can you imagine this candidate in clinic'. We asked this same question considering their answers, their manner, the demonstrated process of response, and their appearance.

If you are in doubt about what style of dress is considered appropriate for a given workplace, go to the workplace and look. In my clinic, jeans are generally not suitable. Trainers are out but smart casual shoes may be fine if they are subtle. Safest to wear something that doesn't draw the eye. Tie or no tie is personal choice, but if no tie, no more than one button undone. It's not a fashion show. You're not their to express your individuality. Err on the side of being more conservative.

I have seen people rejected following post-interview discussions including observations about their appearances, and others who were accepted even when their look was remarkable - but those were exceptional candidates. How confident are you that you can afford to overwhelm them for the right reasons?

 

[Syn]

Would you guys suggest wearing a tie? Last year I didn't but everyone else there was. I don't really mind/care but if it makes a large difference I'll definitely wear one.

I wore a tie and a jacket I think (again, been 4 years). But in this occasion, either/or would work, so a tie without a jacket, or a jacket without a tie. Do what makes you feel comfortable. If it's really hot and stuffy, you'd be perfectly justified in wearing a jacket without a tie, and the top button undone, but if you wear a tie, remember to do all the buttons up.

 

[chinaski]

Off topic, but in my experience of clinical rotations, dyed hair has never really been an issue as long as your dressed professionally and you keep your hairstyle neat.

Seen many hospital employees sporting pink, purple and green hair (neatly styled) in your experience of clinical rotations...?

 

[TripleS]

Seen many hospital employees sporting pink, purple and green hair (neatly styled) in your experience of clinical rotations...?

Not all three colours at once haha, but enough (I'd say about 7-8?) interns/nurses/residents with some variation of pink/purple hair.

I'm from UWS so most of my clinical experience has been at Westmead/Blacktown/Nepean/Liverpool/Campbelltown so maybe that's a factor too.

 

[Dr Worm]

Not all three colours at once haha, but enough (I'd say about 7-8?) interns/nurses/residents with some variation of pink/purple hair.

I'm from UWS so most of my clinical experience has been at Westmead/Blacktown/Nepean/Liverpool/Campbelltown so maybe that's a factor too.

UWS FTW!!

I've definitely seen a few examples of bright (or otherwise creative) hair (neatly styled) amongst staff/ others who still look entirely professional and appropriate. But my stuvac/holiday rainbow unicorn hair would be pushing it, I suspect.

 

[Because Reasons]

Seen many hospital employees sporting pink, purple and green hair (neatly styled) in your experience of clinical rotations...?

I'm curious what chinaski and any other pros here have to say about visible tattoos. As a nurse with arms tattooed to the wrist, I have been in good company with other similarly-decorated nurses out there, but I admit I am yet to see this on a doc.

To my knowledge I have not suffered any professional adverse effects as a nurse as a result of my appearance (otherwise in every way professional in the 'normal' sense). To the extent that I have been judged by people because of the tattoos (which has happened openly only a couple of times, and never by a patient) I think I have quickly compensated for this by proving my worth as an intelligent and hard-working clinician. I would like to think this would be the same in medicine, but for the times that it is not (I appreciate medicine is often more 'traditional' in its values), there are always long-sleeved shirts, right?

 

[Because Reasons]

Whoops, this is the interview thread, my post above is probably better suited here if a mod wants to move it:
http://www.medstudentsonline.com.au/f36/dress-codes-2486/index10.html

 

[Havox]

Whoops, this is the interview thread, my post above is probably better suited here if a mod wants to move it:
http://www.medstudentsonline.com.au/f36/dress-codes-2486/index10.html

I think this is a fair point of discussion here, the link you've provided is useful though

 

[pi]

I'm curious what chinaski and any other pros here have to say about visible tattoos. As a nurse with arms tattooed to the wrist, I have been in good company with other similarly-decorated nurses out there, but I admit I am yet to see this on a doc.

Not one of the pros, but I know of a medical student with tattoos that are visible on hands, upper chest etc. To be perfectly honest, he does get some weird looks from patients and others, but no one has "told him off" for it.