Would you trust a doctor in a T-shirt?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23376869

by schrofer • 13 years ago

10 26 13 years ago

bbc.co.uk

mordae• 13 years ago

My doctor wears T-shirt and a coat, does that count? I don't think it's important what they wear as long as it's clean and the person looks confident and capable.

harrytuttle• 13 years ago

In a similar vein: would you trust a programmer in a suit?

cliveowen2• 13 years ago

Why not, sometimes even programmers want to dress in style.

levosmetalo• 13 years ago

Suit != style.

calibraxis• 13 years ago

It depends on what they're signaling with such dress, and to what audience. (Because people socially communicate with dress. After all, few males wear female-coded clothing, like skirts.)

If they merely want to look more romantically attractive in the suit, then it's meaningless in evaluating them as programmers.

If they're signaling conformity to management, then that may impact my goals, pro or con. If they're contracting at a conservative bank, that's a smart thing. In other situations, they may conflict with my goals.

So, these little details may provide topics for further, brief investigation. In much the same way that, when you first walk into an office, you see indications of the power structure. (For instance, is one seat uniquely positioned to easily see what's going on in all the other screens?)

sp3322• 13 years ago

I worked with a very good programmer who liked to dress up for work. He was't pretentious or snobbish, he just really liked nice clothes. It was fine, no one complained that he was showing off or anything.

hownottowrite• 13 years ago

Lawyers, bankers, and politicians wear suits. They're certainly trustworthy people.

cliveowen2• 13 years ago

This made me chuckle, +1

alan_cx3• 13 years ago

How is a lawyer not trust worthy? I have never seen a case where a lawyer screws over a client. Never understood this business of saying lawyers cannot be trusted.

If one means that a lawyer acting against one on behalf of another party cannot be trusted, well, of course. Such a lawyer is not acting for one. In that instance, one would instruct one's own lawyer, and that lawyer would be 100% trust-able.

LeeHunter2• 13 years ago

In my limited dealings with lawyers I have seen several instances where the lawyer appeared to be recommending a course of action that seemed geared towards extending their billings rather than serving their client's interests with a speedy resolution. This seems to be a common practice with a small but significant minority of lawyers.

plantain• 13 years ago

How is a lawyer not trust worthy? I have never seen a case where a lawyer screws over a client.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jul/18/jk-rowling-anger...

Not exactly a common occurrance admittedly, but amusing you say that given the drama over this the past week.

sp3322• 13 years ago

I know someone whose friend put drugs in his truck. The cops charged both of them with possession even though he wasn't even in the truck at the time. His public defender convinced him to plead guilty! His parole officer looked at his case and said, "How did you get convicted of this??"

beagle3• 13 years ago

In some hospitals, not wearing a coat is a status symbol indicating seniority. In these places, you SHOULD trust the doctor in the T-shirt (or the button down, or the dress) more than you trust those with the coat

lunchladydoris• 13 years ago

In a similar vein, here in the UK, surgeons return to being called mister once they're fully qualified.

scoyote• 13 years ago

Absolutely!

masnick2• 13 years ago

I'd rather have my doctor wear a tshirt than wear a tie: ties are known to spread infection. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=99526&page=1

I suspect the same could be true with long sleeves.

bobdvb2• 13 years ago

Noses and hands also spread infections, I don't want my doctor to have them either.

masnick2• 13 years ago

Poor hand hygiene is a huge cause of preventable, hospital-acquired infection. See http://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/tools/who_guidelines-handhygien... (pdf).

Crake• 13 years ago

I don't care what they wear, so long as I can afford to see one. :(

/American citizen

tome• 13 years ago

Would you marry someone in a T-shirt? Would you go to a funeral wearing a T-shirt? I don't have a good answer to any of these questions :)

rasur• 13 years ago

This seems to be a case of "how you dress defines your competencies in your profession", which for some professions it surely would have some bearing[1], but in general, how you are dressed should not really make any difference to the job you perform.

This is, as others here have pointed out, more generally a question of conformity (with some arbitrarily expected "norm").

[1] An example off the top of my head: I'd question the competence of a fire-fighter turning up to fight a fire in jeans and a t-shirt instead of proper protective attire.

fnordfnordfnord• 13 years ago

I'd question the competence of a fire-fighter turning up to fight a fire in jeans and a t-shirt instead of proper protective attire.

As you should, a fire-fighter's protective bunker gear is necessary to perform their job function.

A coat or tie OTOH does nothing to improve the doctor's ability to perform his/her job function. Deference to such traditional costumes might even lend credibility where none is deserved.

bobdvb2• 13 years ago

Sorry, I might not be old, but I do like my professionals to be professionally dressed, I consider professional to involve being smart and smart generally involves wearing a shirt. You might think I am wrong, but in equal measure I too think you are wrong.

Would you trust a doctor in a T-shirt?

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