Dress Code

Key concept: At all times, dress and behave in a way that engenders trust and would ensure that those around you are put at ease, whether they are colleagues, professors, or patients.

• Students should wear their photo identification badge at all times while on the medical campus.
• During non-patient related activities, including but not limited to class and CLG, you must adhere to the following guidelines when attending classes in the learning studios and small conference rooms, as well as on virtual platforms (e.g. Zoom):
  • Clothing should be well fitted. Longer shorts, capri-style pants, leggings, and jeans are acceptable for the classroom.
  • Polo shirts with a collar and t-shirts are acceptable provided they do not contain any offensive language or pictures.
  • Tube tops, halter tops, deep set necklines, see-through tops, or visible undergarments are not acceptable attire.
  • Shirts/tops must extend to the waistband of your pants, skirts, or shorts. Bare midriffs are not acceptable. 
  • Body art/tattoos should not be offensive.

• Good personal hygiene is required. Students should be clean and free of offensive odors.
• Natural fingernails should be clean and maintained at a length that is not visible from the palmar aspect of the hand. Artificial nails are prohibited.
• Hair and jewelry must be restrained so they don’t interfere with patient examinations.
• In the laboratories and patient care areas, OSHA regulations prohibit open-toed shoes. For purposes of safety, you must wear closed-toe shoes.
• When you participate in any clinical activity and anticipate patient contact, you must adhere to the facilities’ policies regarding infection control, professional behavior, and dress code. Appropriate patient-interaction* attire includes:
  • A shirt/blouse/sweater, skirt/dress or slacks, and closed-toes shoes. A tie is optional.
  • Your white laboratory coat should be clean, pressed, and in good repair.

• When engaged in patient-care related activities, you should not chew gum.
• Excessive perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, scented lotions etc. should not be worn.
• Scrubs for use in laboratories should not be worn outside those areas. Green OR scrubs must not be worn outside of designated hospital areas unless you are wearing your white coat over them (this is a Joint Commission accreditation requirement). Other types of scrubs may be appropriate to wear in other patient care areas, but this is at the discretion of the attending/chief of service.
• In short, be modest and professional in your dress.
• Faculty will provide feedback to students who are not in compliance with the dress code. Repeated non-adherence to the dress code will result in a professionalism lapse.

*Includes patient encounters in LAC and other non-clinical settings.