Do Physicians judge patients based on what they wear? Designer Bags? Casual Clothing?

[Anonymous]

What is the issue though if dressing casual for a doctor appointment? It seems to me that it would be the one place you could be comfortable. Something about needing to dress more formally/business like for visits that makes me sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look brown/olive skin and have noticed that if I wear something from my college (Berkeley) or drop that I went there I get better treatment. A dermatologist was being so rude and dismissive to me and I noticed he was wearing a tie that had a small Cal [Berkeley] logo. I said "Go Bears" and he paused and looked puzzled. He asked what I said and I repeated it and said the year I graduated. He said "oh wow I wasn't sure how well you spoke English, I didn't realize you also went to Cal". Then it was like he was my best friend, giving me samples, moving up another appointment, etc.

I feel ridiculous but sometimes I make sure I use a sentence when meeting the doctor that contains more advanced vocabulary such as instead of saying "I should have come in sooner to get this checked out", I intentionally will say " I was remiss in.." And while I am waiting I have my phone out playing wordle and as the doctor comes in and says hi I say "hi, just finishing up today's wordle".

Instead of wordle (which takes less than a minute to solve), try having the doctor catch you reading the Berkeley alumni magazine or The Economist magazine.

Or listening to a court hearing or Bloomberg radio on your phone. More than one dr has had ears perk up when they walk in and Bloomberg is like 11 AM, S&P up .25% or whatever. Suddenly you must be an investment banker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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I will no longer disclose to these people what my profession is, unless I determine it’s pertinent to my treatment.

I work with med students. One of the things they are taught (and then tested on) is to get the occupation of the patient. It's supposed to be in their history-taking. For better or for worse, they are literally taught this.

Sure! But why exactly, especially if it’s not physical labor?

PP here. One, to assess risks (one of the big ones that isn't physical labor is elementary school teachers -- you don't even need to ask them if they have had any sick contacts, you can just assume they have--they are working in a big cesspool of germs, lol; another occupational hazard is lots of travel). Second, they ask occupation because they are taught that conversations regarding diagnosis, treatment, etc, should look different depending on the education level/profession of the patient. But clearly it's not a perfect (or even all that useful?) proxy for the patient's ability to understand medical information. Personally, I think any decent doctor should be able to ascertain that, at least somewhat, just having taken a history without needing to ask about someone's job. But I don't write the curriculum.

Not all smart people go to college or have the opportunity. Best is to ask how the patient wants it explained.

It isn't about using college as a proxy for smart; education informs the conversation. You are going to have a different conversation about how a particular course of chemotherapy works with a pharmacist or microbiologist vs an art history professor or corporate lawyer. All are smart, plenty of education, but the different knowledge bases provide different context for the conversation. Ask the patient how they want something explained and most are going to stare back at you blankly -- how would they know? I'm in medical education and I'm not sure I would know the answer to that question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. I always dress professionally or wear casual clothes like Patagonia or my college sweatshirt like a PP mentioned. I don’t go overboard as that can also backfire.

Doctors are just people, and people are judgmental. I don’t take chances. Unrelated, but Being Mortal is a book everyone should read. Talks a lot about how doctors are uncomfortable with death and conversations around that, just like us. Same goes for superficial assumptions and judgments.

Patagonia? Wow, they must have been so impressed you got two lollipops! Lucky you.

My father only had a few weeks to live and he told me the conversation he had with one of the oncologists at the hospital made a huge impact on him.

I just gave it as an example - if I’m being bunny to the doctor’s office, I wear something that does look like it cost a lot even if it’s very casual. I don’t throw on my ratty Simpsons shirt from middle school.

Yes, there are many lovely doctors. But they are just like regular people, good and bad. I don’t always know who I’m getting and my health is at stake. Yes, I will dress well or look like I have money and am well educated because those people are treated better everywhere in the world, including in their doctors’ offices. Why risk subpar care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look brown/olive skin and have noticed that if I wear something from my college (Berkeley) or drop that I went there I get better treatment. A dermatologist was being so rude and dismissive to me and I noticed he was wearing a tie that had a small Cal [Berkeley] logo. I said "Go Bears" and he paused and looked puzzled. He asked what I said and I repeated it and said the year I graduated. He said "oh wow I wasn't sure how well you spoke English, I didn't realize you also went to Cal". Then it was like he was my best friend, giving me samples, moving up another appointment, etc.

I feel ridiculous but sometimes I make sure I use a sentence when meeting the doctor that contains more advanced vocabulary such as instead of saying "I should have come in sooner to get this checked out", I intentionally will say " I was remiss in.." And while I am waiting I have my phone out playing wordle and as the doctor comes in and says hi I say "hi, just finishing up today's wordle".

Instead of wordle (which takes less than a minute to solve), try having the doctor catch you reading the Berkeley alumni magazine or The Economist magazine.

Ha. I actually do subscribe to The Economist but it is just an online subscription, that would be harder for a doctor to see. Wordle has actually been working out well for me. Two out of the last three medical providers commented on it and smiled so it was a good start to the visits. I look generic brown and have an uncommon last name but don't look South Asian so I have been asked if I am from: Morocco, Guam, Mexico, and other countries that are developing. It is really shocking how some front office staff and medical providers assume if you are brown you don't speak English, aren't educated and/or are poor.

[Anonymous]

I’m a dentist (female) and consider myself fashionable. But, half my clothes are from target or TJ maxx. I really don’t judge patients on what they wear other than rolling my eyes at golden goose sneakers because I think that’sa huge waste of money. But some of my richest patients are The Millionaire Next Door types.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

When my father had cancer, he was definitely judged by the hospital. He was older (93) and black. They assumed he didn't have medical insurance so they were really horrible. I had to really show out! He had very good health insurance and I am a lawyer.

Maybe being a lawyer is why they treated him that way, did you tell the people working at the hospital you were a lawyer too?

OMG, why are white people always trying to deny racism. There is evidence on racial and ethnic disparities in the health care system to support that her father was treated poorly because of his race alone. Additionally, race alone determines the type of care you receive regardless of socioeconomic status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

When my father had cancer, he was definitely judged by the hospital. He was older (93) and black. They assumed he didn't have medical insurance so they were really horrible. I had to really show out! He had very good health insurance and I am a lawyer.

Maybe being a lawyer is why they treated him that way, did you tell the people working at the hospital you were a lawyer too?

OMG, why are white people always trying to deny racism. There is evidence on racial and ethnic disparities in the health care system to support that her father was treated poorly because of his race alone. Additionally, race alone determines the type of care you receive regardless of socioeconomic status.

Some of us whit people also get really bad health care.

[Anonymous]

I always went to the doctor in the morning and on the way to work. I was freshly showered and wearing business clothes. The doctor always seemed dismissive and short when I asked questions or wanted more information. Once I needed an urgent appointment. I wasn't feeling well, so I wore jeans and a sweatshirt. The sweatshirt happened to be from an ivy league law school.

My doctor couldn't concentrate because he just had to know if I went to that law school. I told him that his assumption that I couldn't get into that school might be incorrect or correct, but either way, I was smart enough to get a man who went there. He was a different person after that. He would ask me questions about current events and the books I was reading and listen to my questions and provide thoughtful responses. He even told me I was one of the smartest patients he ever met.

It made me sad that before wearing that sweatshirt he judged me, but I hope he learned from the experience. I'm African American and he is white. I left his practice and my current doctors are African American.

[Anonymous]

My doctor has a concierge practice and we pay a good amount to go there. I wear whatever I want and that’s usually old athletic clothes, from target or Walmart. I really don’t care if he judges my clothes. I think the most important thing is being clean before appointments. I always shower but never wear makeup to the appointments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a female doctor, I don't pay much attention to the designer status of clothing worn or bag toted. I would note if they were neatly dressed and groomed or disheveled.

What would you note that wouldn’t be a giant assumption? Aren’t doctors supposed to be scientific?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

When my father had cancer, he was definitely judged by the hospital. He was older (93) and black. They assumed he didn't have medical insurance so they were really horrible. I had to really show out! He had very good health insurance and I am a lawyer.

Maybe being a lawyer is why they treated him that way, did you tell the people working at the hospital you were a lawyer too?

OMG, why are white people always trying to deny racism. There is evidence on racial and ethnic disparities in the health care system to support that her father was treated poorly because of his race alone. Additionally, race alone determines the type of care you receive regardless of socioeconomic status.

Some of us whit people also get really bad health care.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look brown/olive skin and have noticed that if I wear something from my college (Berkeley) or drop that I went there I get better treatment. A dermatologist was being so rude and dismissive to me and I noticed he was wearing a tie that had a small Cal [Berkeley] logo. I said "Go Bears" and he paused and looked puzzled. He asked what I said and I repeated it and said the year I graduated. He said "oh wow I wasn't sure how well you spoke English, I didn't realize you also went to Cal". Then it was like he was my best friend, giving me samples, moving up another appointment, etc.

I feel ridiculous but sometimes I make sure I use a sentence when meeting the doctor that contains more advanced vocabulary such as instead of saying "I should have come in sooner to get this checked out", I intentionally will say " I was remiss in.." And while I am waiting I have my phone out playing wordle and as the doctor comes in and says hi I say "hi, just finishing up today's wordle".

Jesus. I 100% don't blame you but I don't think white thin UMC women understand how many hoops non white women - even thin and UMC - need to jump thru to get the same behavior and treatment. Like I'm here bc I effing need something, I don't care if you think Berkeley is impressive or not or whether you think "remiss" is advanced vocab or whether you think only smart people play wordle.

I’m a white, relatively thin, UMC woman and I also have to do this sh$t. I’m sure it’s worse for people of color. It’s not every Dr but enough of them, and I do tend to dress up a bit for appts. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t because I think a lot of drs don’t like educated women that ask a ton of questions. I did think i received very good treatment on an ER visit and I wasn’t dressed up because I was in pain but I think my general demeanor and education helped me get good and prompt care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My doctor has a concierge practice and we pay a good amount to go there. I wear whatever I want and that’s usually old athletic clothes, from target or Walmart. I really don’t care if he judges my clothes. I think the most important thing is being clean before appointments. I always shower but never wear makeup to the appointments.

This is interesting because many appointments are people going to/from work. Do you schedule appointments to allow a shower before them? I’ve heard of people doing that for OBGYN visits especially just not always other medical.

[Anonymous]

Doctors make the same amount of money as the rest of us, so why are we anxious to impress them?