Harnessing the power of nonverbal communication through professional attire

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While medical competency remains the foundation of exceptional patient care, numerous factors contribute to building strong therapeutic relationships and achieving optimal patient outcomes. Among the opportunities to build rapport with your patients, it’s time you consider your professional attire which serves as a powerful component to your interpersonal skills in healthcare. Every clothing choice you make sends nonverbal cues that patients unconsciously interpret and respond to—signals that can either enhance if your attire is professional and appropriate or undermine the opinion of your patients based on your selection of the attire you wear when interacting with your patients. Science-backed research reveals that people form impressions in as little as one-tenth of a second with various factors such as appearance, body language, and facial expressions influencing perceptions. Your attire creates an immediate opportunity to leverage professional dress as a strategic tool for better patient communication and perhaps even outcomes. These rapid judgments can significantly impact personal and professional interactions. By understanding how your appearance communicates trust, competence, and approachability before you initiate the doctor-patient encounter, you can harness these nonverbal messages to strengthen therapeutic relationships, improve patient trust, and create an environment where healing begins the moment you enter the room. In this article we will discuss why what you wear impacts the first impression of the doctor-patient encounter and suggestions for having a professional appearance.

Whether walking into a patient’s hospital room or into the exam room in your office, your attire sends a powerful message to patients and colleagues alike. But what do doctors wear to work, and why does it matter?

Brief history of physician attire

Medical uniforms have been worn since medieval times. From the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries, physicians wore “plague costumes” and black “frock” coats. As medical education became more formalized and teaching institutions were founded, the attire changed to white clothing to signify cleanliness. In the 1970s, green and blue colored scrubs were introduced as uniforms. Modern traditional physician attire has evolved to business attire with a white coat.

Why does dress matter for doctors

A dress code should consider overall appearance and infection control, hygiene, and safety.

Physician attire may impact patients’ perception of how knowledgeable, approachable, and trustworthy their physician is during a patient care encounter. Nonverbal communication occurs through facial expressions, body language, gestures, and physical appearance. Physical appearance, including physician attire, is one of the first nonverbal communications that patients can evaluate during an encounter. Physician attire is recognized as an increasingly important area that can influence patient preferences and perceptions.

Appearance

When patients step into a doctor’s office for the first time, they begin making judgments about the care they are about to receive. One of the first things they notice is the physician’s appearance, with 53% of patients reporting that a doctor’s attire is an important factor in their care experience and over one-third saying it influences their overall satisfaction. First impressions matter, and a professional appearance fosters an immediate sense of trust and credibility. A well-groomed, professionally dressed physician conveys competence, authority, and confidence. Your initial presentation signals to patients that the doctor takes their role seriously and creates an atmosphere that they are committed to providing the best care possible.

What a doctor wears can make a difference in patient perception, but that preference may change over time. A study performed at a single-site academic institution in 2017 and a follow up study in 2022 demonstrated that patient preference for physicians wearing professional attire decreased during the pandemic.

Infection control, hygiene and safety

Infection control and hygiene are significant in medical settings, both in private practice and in hospital settings. Over the years, this has led to changes in the standard dress code for a doctor.

Bare below the elbow dress codes have become more common, particularly in hospitals. These guidelines promote wearing short-sleeved shirts or short-sleeved white coats to reduce the risk of pathogens transferring from sleeves to the patient. BBE is often combined with easily laundered garments to help maintain a sterile environment.

Physician safety is also impacted by clothing choice. Doctors need practical clothing that lets them move freely and efficiently, either in the operating room or during doctor-patient encounters. Scrubs, for example, are designed with this functionality in mind, offering comfort and flexibility.

Hospital vs. private practice: Differences in dress code

When considering what medical doctors wear, the first consideration is the work environment. Attire may vary depending on the workplace setting and any workplace-specific dress codes, and doctors should tailor their appearance to the setting. For example, a formal attire would not be required in the emergency department.

Attire in private practice

In private practice, there is typically more opportunity for doctors to build long-term relationships with patients, and the attire may reflect the desire to create an inviting, trustworthy atmosphere. Private practice dress codes tend to strike a balance between professionalism and comfort.

However, the expectations for a doctor’s attire may significantly vary depending on the type of practice, the location, and the specific patient population.

In more traditional settings, authority and expertise are signaled with formal business attire, including a suit jacket or white coat.

In other private practices that lean toward a more comfortable and approachable atmosphere, doctors may opt for a white coat business casual dress code that involves slacks, knee-length skirts, or even scrubs for a less clinical, more personal setting. For example, today there are now more procedures performed in the office setting and a doctor who does office procedures may have a more casual dress code which might include scrubs. Therefore hospitals and surgical settings typically require scrubs as the standard attire. Scrubs are practical, easy to clean, and designed to minimize the risk of infection.

Some hospitals have implemented systems to differentiate medical staff by color-coded scrubs or by assigning different lengths of lab coats to help distinguish various roles quickly. Example, is that medical students wear jacket length white coats and residents and faculty wear longer white coats.

Common dress code mistakes

While professionalism is key, doctors must also be mindful of what they shouldn’t wear when they are in the office or hospital. Inappropriate or too casual clothing should be avoided in all medical settings, as it can undermine the doctor’s authority. For example, open-toed shoes, sandals, and tennis shoes are not unprofessional and should be avoided.

Physicians also need to be aware of jewelry and accessories. Large earrings, dangling necklaces, and other adornments can be distracting to patients.

Finally, grooming is essential. Long nails, heavy perfumes or colognes, bad breath, and other personal care aspects should be considered for a professional image.

Providing quality care, regardless of the setting, includes adhering to a dress code that prioritizes the balance between professionalism, hygiene, and comfort in your work attire. What you wear is more than a uniform; it reflects your commitment to what you do.

Bottom Line: Being conscious of how we present ourselves is essential.

Angela Aaron is a professional image strategist and former costume designer who applies principles of visual storytelling and character development to help professionals understand how their appearance shapes their success.

Dr. Neil Baum is a physician in New Orleans and the author of Business Basics for Creating and Managing a Healthcare Practice (Springer 2022)