Why fleece jackets are bad for doctors’ reputations

Time to dig out the white coat again? Survey finds patients think doctors are less experienced and not as professional when wearing casual attire

Fleece and soft-shell jackets are a no-no if doctors want to make a good impression with patients, a US survey suggests.

Clinicians who wear casual attire are perceived as less experienced, less professional and not as friendly as those who wear white coats, according to the survey conducted by doctors from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore in Maryland.