When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do: Pearls for Dress Attire

By Craig Wilkerson, MD

This article has nothing to do with Rome, Italy or even traveling abroad. It has everything to do with adapting to the surrounding culture. When deciding how to dress for seeing patients it is important to “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

We are taught as residents and fellows how to diagnose and treat disease. We learn how best to care for our patients. Some of the factors that affect us most in practice are never formally included in our training. Among these are dress and appearance. We all know the essentials of maintaining a professional appearance. However, what is most comfortable and appropriate for our patients can vary from one practice to another.

Pediatric ophthalmologists have a relatively straightforward task: dress with exciting and friendly colors that are non-confrontational to a child while being conservative and professional enough to not frighten their parents. A “silly” tie and the absence of a white coat go a long way. For the rest of us, the Roman analogy comes into play.

One of the safest strategies is to follow the lead of the senior ophthalmologists in the practice. After all, they are the ones who hired you and remember you in the clothes you wore when you first met them. If they wear white lab coats, then you should as well. If they are more casual, then follow their lead. If there is a variation of styles, then choose a style within the established range that best fits your tastes. When I joined my first practice, I wore a lab coat because all of the other providers in the clinic did. When I wore a shirt and tie without the coat, patients commented on my dress. They used neutral language, but the point was clear – I dressed differently than what they were used to at that practice. Perhaps they thought I would care for them differently as well.

When I purchased my own practice from a retiring ophthalmologist, the choice of dress became more complex. Should I continue to dress in a lab coat as he did or establish my own more relaxed form of dress? In the end, the patients gave me the answer. In my comprehensive practice most of the patients are elderly. They often dress formally for their appointments. However, in Montana where I practice, few wore neckties or sport coats. As a result, I wear slacks and a dress shirt without a tie (or bolo).

How you dress in the office affects the perception that your patients have of you. It also sets the standard by which your partners and staff will view you. Are you overly formal and unapproachable or casual and unprofessional? So, when in Rome do as the Romans do. Just remember that the Romans include your patients, partners and staff.