Doctors Wear White Coats

A white coat is popularly known as a “laboratory coat” or “lab coat”. The white coat is usually a smock or an outer garment that is of knee length in measurement compulsorily worn by scientists, especially lab professionals and doctors. The coat serves as a protection cover from any chemical spillage for those who are working with hazardous chemicals in the laboratory and for the doctors it protects their street clothes and for both of them, the white coat serves as a uniform. The white coats are usually made up of light cotton, linen or a blend of cotton or polyester so that they can be easily washed and even at a high temperature. The white color makes it easy to judge if the coat is clean enough or not. A similar kind of cloth serves as a symbol of learning and knowledge in Argentina and Uruguay where both teachers and students wear white coats. In a few countries like Mozambique and Tunisia, the teachers also wear white hats so as to protect themselves from the chalk dust. Much like other phrases that are associated with a particular pattern of dressing like that of “suit”, the white coat is also used as a figure of speech to denote the wearer like doctors or scientists.

The studies have also shown that almost 72% of medical students including doctors all over the world wear a white coat more than 75% of the time in the whole day. The major purpose for all the doctors and lab professionals is to wear a white coat so that they can easily be differentiated from the rest of the crowd and it becomes easy for the patients and their colleagues to identify one another. The white coats have utility pockets so that it’s easy for the doctors to carry their essentials while they are on hospital tours for check-ups of patients. The white coat also acts as protective gear for both doctors as well as lab professionals to keep their clothes clean. But the majority of psychiatrists as well as paediatricians in order to build a rapport with patients, thus, often avoid wearing white coats. 

It has been observed that most of the profession incorporates a specific uniform that becomes the synecdoche for that particular field like that of lawyers with a black coat, and police in India have a Khakhi uniform. Thus this article particularly focuses on explaining all possible reasons for “why doctors wear white coats” and the evaluation behind it.

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Adoption of White Coat by Doctors From Lab Scientist 

So as to understand why do doctors wear white coats, let's see from where the concept of adopting a white coat was established in this profession throughout the globe. Before the 19th century, the use of a coat over any garment was restricted to the scientists who used to work in laboratories. They were usually found wearing either light pink or yellow color coats that were then famous as laboratory coats. Thus in the 19th century, the scientists have spoiled the reputation of the physicians by propagating that the cures that are being provided by the physicians in the form of drugs are useless and do not benefit the patients. This reputation has resulted in convicting many doctors, especially, physicians around the globe. During that period the scientists were considered with high regard and were respected by the society, common people and the government while the doctors were not much trusted either by people or by the state. Thus many of the doctors without any opportunity to pursue their profession further turned to scientists.

But much later, the doctors who turned into scientists established that the new inventions that are developed in laboratories are much more efficient towards the diseases and can fasten the rate of cure. They even realized that many of such medical developments have increased the cure of many diseases. With this transformation of the physicians into scientists has brought them much acknowledgement and thus they started representing themselves as scientists. From there they adopted the lab coat as their symbol of recognition from the year 1889 AD. As they adopted the lab coat, they eventually settled for the color white and from then on steadily the medical professionals are recognized by their white coat. Later Dr. George Armstrong (1855-1933) introduced a more refined and modern version of the white coat to the medical professionals in Canada. He was a successful practising surgeon at Montreal General hospital along with the president of the Medical Association of Canada. 

The Reason to Choose White Color

In the later centuries, doctors all over the world have adopted the white coat while practising within the hospitals or while providing private consultations. Thus a personal questionnaire was served to European Gastro Club members as a part of the survey. There have been more than 15 countries that are members of the club starting from Spain to Russia. Many doctors from all of these 15 countries have revealed that the white coat has become universal with the doctors all over and also accompanied by few variations like some doctors prefer to wear white trousers, the length of the sleeves or a slight variation in the shade of the coat is accepted. 

The group of older British consultants has revealed in the survey that the adoption of the white coat came into existence during the 1930s but it was only accelerated post the second world war. In the year 1952, in most of the European states, the students had to compulsorily wear white coats except a few of the elderly consultants. Thus the survey report suggests the following reasons and their percentage pointers anonymously provided by the doctors as follows:

The color white has been very consciously selected to be incorporated in the medical field. It is considered to be the symbol of purity and the commitment made by a doctor to do no harm to their patients. A survey was conducted in the United Kingdom established that the majority of the patients prefer their doctors to wear white coats and few others prefer other garments like a scrub. The white coats are preferably worn over the scrubs as well. It is because in a subconscious state of mind white is associated with cleanliness and the seriousness of the profession like dealing with deadly diseases on a regular basis. 

Apart from this another major reason that has been implied with the white coat is to maintain a professional barrier of the doctors from their patients in order to curb the emotional attachments. It helps in creating a mental distance from both ends. Thus another study that was conducted in European countries showed that 80% of the psychiatrists do not prefer to wear a white coat during the consultation so as to create a mental connection with their patients that helps in better assessment of their problems. White also symbolizes peace and relaxation as doctors are meant to relieve their patients from their physical as well as mental sufferings. Thus in order to create calmness in the minds of their patients, the doctors from centuries ago preferred to wear white coats around their patients.

What is a White Coat Ceremony?

The white coat ceremony is a new ritual that is recently introduced in many teaching hospitals where a medical student is provided with the white coat at the starting of their medical schooling and now many healthcare-related schools and businesses have also adopted the ritual. It has been followed in many medical, dental, pharmaceutical, optometry, physical therapy, medical assistance and also in veterinary centres where this ceremony marks the transition of the medical students from preclinical to mainstream clinical healthcare services with a scholarship. More than 100 medical schools in today’s time have started celebrating the ritual of the White coat Ceremony.