Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

If the white coat is one of the most iconic symbols of clinical medicine, another must be scrubs. The stereotypical scrubs are thin, cotton-based, light blue, and unisex (like those on the left), but there is now a whole industry devoted to designing more comfortable and more stylish scrubs. These tops and bottoms are found not just in the OR but in the ED, on nurses, and on docs and med students pulling a night shift in the hospital. They are also preferred by clinicians who take serious reports that ties, white coats, and long sleeves are germ carriers.



I've got a couple basic pairs from my medical school, but for Christmas I asked my parents-in-law for a gift certificate to a local scrub shop so I could stock up before my ob/gyn and surgery rotations. Because I really wanted scrubs with some "give" in them, I chose a brand called "wonder flex" that is waaay more comfortable than my old scrubs. They are sassy purple with pink trim but kind of boxy, so I also picked out a feminine pair from Koi in navy. The top has a princess waist and a drawstring with little flower beads. I hope the surgeons don't take me less seriously when I wear them.

In addition, I got a discount from this purchase, so I went back for another top. The shopwoman pointed out the shirt to the right. At first I didn't want to get it, because patterned scrubs are associated with nurses, but then I realized how silly that was, so I gave in to the floral design. A wise Christian woman once said, "Life is too short not to have nice things," and my medical career is too long not to have nice scrubs. I mean, scrubs aren't really "clothes," but I feel more dressed in pieces like these. I look forward to wearing them. Thank you, MH and GH!