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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Well just bc a white woman has to get out of her leggings for a drs appointment, that erases all the BS that non white people have to deal with. Must be all the same then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say half of the female physicians are quite shallow and often judgmental about patients and nursing staff.

+1. I'd say it depends on specialty too but with female drs I definitely look for the more introverted, bookish types. You feel like you're getting better care with them bc they're much more focused on your problem rather than the fact that you're carrying last year's bag or aren't married or don't have kids or whatever they've deemed that makes you less than.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Np, also a doctor-it’s just one piece of information but it’s part of the clinical picture and it would be bad practice to not notice someone who was disheveled-particularly if you know them and it’s different from their usual. Now it easily could be because they were just on their way from a hike or slept late but it might make a doctor wonder if they were feeling more unwell then their words suggest, or perhaps that they were depressed. It’s just one of many pieces of info but it can sometimes be useful. (Obviously that’s totally different than noticing and favoring expensively dressed patients.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Np, also a doctor-it’s just one piece of information but it’s part of the clinical picture and it would be bad practice to not notice someone who was disheveled-particularly if you know them and it’s different from their usual. Now it easily could be because they were just on their way from a hike or slept late but it might make a doctor wonder if they were feeling more unwell then their words suggest, or perhaps that they were depressed. It’s just one of many pieces of info but it can sometimes be useful. (Obviously that’s totally different than noticing and favoring expensively dressed patients.)

I think we all get that. Someone comes and in obviously hasn't showered in days - chances are they are too unwell to stand in the shower or are depressed or maybe there is a housing type of issue. 100% different than what's being said here of behaving differently if someone is carrying a Gucci bag vs. a Nine West bag or wearing an ivy league sweatshirt versus not etc. - THAT'S what makes people feel like they need to dress up and active "impressive" to get the same care as someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say half of the female physicians are quite shallow and often judgmental about patients and nursing staff.

+1. I'd say it depends on specialty too but with female drs I definitely look for the more introverted, bookish types. You feel like you're getting better care with them bc they're much more focused on your problem rather than the fact that you're carrying last year's bag or aren't married or don't have kids or whatever they've deemed that makes you less than.

Yes, 100%, but this goes for men and women. Some are actually in it to help. Others are very impressed with themselves and obviously superficial. I try to avoid those if I can. They absolutely judge you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Np, also a doctor-it’s just one piece of information but it’s part of the clinical picture and it would be bad practice to not notice someone who was disheveled-particularly if you know them and it’s different from their usual. Now it easily could be because they were just on their way from a hike or slept late but it might make a doctor wonder if they were feeling more unwell then their words suggest, or perhaps that they were depressed. It’s just one of many pieces of info but it can sometimes be useful. (Obviously that’s totally different than noticing and favoring expensively dressed patients.)

I think we all get that. Someone comes and in obviously hasn't showered in days - chances are they are too unwell to stand in the shower or are depressed or maybe there is a housing type of issue. 100% different than what's being said here of behaving differently if someone is carrying a Gucci bag vs. a Nine West bag or wearing an ivy league sweatshirt versus not etc. - THAT'S what makes people feel like they need to dress up and active "impressive" to get the same care as someone else.

This actually makes me wonder if dress plays into care and if you are dressed too well or clean or appear happy you’ll be seen as healthy or that you can’t be in pain or “that sick” when in reality the person was dressing nicer to avoid being not cared for.

[Anonymous]

No, and we also can't tell if you're wearing clean underwear when you come into the ER after an accident. We have no idea if the undies were ripped prior to you dressing in them that morning nor do we care. I don't care if there are old stains - I'm only looking for fresh blood.

[Anonymous]

My mom was a nurse and claims they always noticed when a patient didn’t have clean underwear on. Maybe it was just to scare us into putting on clean underwear as a kid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom was a nurse and claims they always noticed when a patient didn’t have clean underwear on. Maybe it was just to scare us into putting on clean underwear as a kid!

Lol! Well I suppose unless the underwear crusted over how would you be able to tell? Some dye or fluid stained underwear can be clean but darkened in shade for instance.

[Anonymous]

At this point I am going to lock the room and force the doctor to communicate with written notes passed under door.

[Anonymous]

Im a healthcare lawyer (and a woman). I’ve deposed tons and tons of lawyers. I never tell doctors what i do for a living. But whenever I see a doc, typically, a specialist who I think is being dismissive of me- that’s the last time I’ll ever spend a second in their office. Too many doctors to waste my time.

[Anonymous]

Old thread but we’ve talked adults but do pediatricians judge what the children are wearing at appointments?

[Anonymous]

They do write things like "well-groomed" (have seen it in my visit notes!) so I am sure it matters to some extent. I always dress normally but put together, same every time I leave the house really.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely. Just like any profession, there are judgy physicians and incompetent physicians, and WAY too many of them

[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.

Groomed like clean and neat or like she's not wearing make up so she's not groomed enough?