Resident Dress Standard Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish expectations for professional dress, appearance, identification, and hygiene for residents and fellows participating in UNR Med-sponsored Graduate Medical Education programs. Professional appearance contributes to:

• Patient trust and confidence
• Infection prevention and workplace safety
• Professional identity formation
• Respectful clinical and educational environments
• Representation of UNR Med and affiliated clinical training sites

This policy is intended to support a professional, inclusive, safe, and clinically appropriate learning environment.

This policy applies to all residents and fellows in UNR Med-sponsored residency and fellowship programs while:

• Participating in clinical duties
• Attending educational activities
• Representing the residency or fellowship program
• Participating in recruitment activities
• Attending institutional events
• Participating in community or outreach activities on behalf of the institution

Residents and fellows must also comply with dress and appearance requirements of affiliated clinical training sites and departments.

Residents and fellows are expected to maintain a professional, neat, clean, and clinically appropriate appearance consistent with:

• Their clinical role
• Patient safety standards
• Infection prevention practices
• OSHA requirements
• Institutional professionalism expectations
• Clinical site standards

Dress expectations may vary by specialty, clinical setting, procedural requirements, and patient population.

Residents and fellows are expected to:

• Maintain good personal hygiene
• Wear clean clothing in good repair
• Wear attire that is appropriate to the clinical or educational setting
• Present a professional appearance that supports patient confidence and team professionalism
• Avoid clothing with offensive, discriminatory, political, explicit, or inappropriate language or imagery

Attire should allow safe and effective performance of clinical duties.

Residents and fellows must:

• Wear institutional identification badges at all times while on duty unless prohibited for safety reasons
• Ensure badges remain visible above the waistline
• Comply with site-specific badge and security requirements

Identification badges are considered part of professional attire and support patient identification of healthcare team members.

Acceptable clinical attire may include:

• Hospital-approved scrubs
• Professional business attire with white coat
• Specialty-specific attire
• Program-approved jackets or fleece
• Appropriate footwear

Clinical attire must:

• Be neat, clean, and professional
• Meet infection prevention standards
• Be appropriate for the clinical environment

Programs and training sites may establish department-specific scrub colors, attire standards, or PPE requirements.

Residents and fellows may be provided with:

• White lab coats
• Program-branded jackets
• Institutional apparel

Program-issued apparel should:

• Be maintained in clean condition
• Be used in appropriate clinical or educational settings
• Include appropriate institutional identification

Footwear must:

• Be clean and in good repair
• Provide safe and secure footing
• Meet OSHA and infection prevention requirements
• Be appropriate for the clinical environment

Open-toed shoes may be prohibited in clinical or procedural areas.

Residents and fellows are expected to maintain appropriate grooming and hygiene practices, including:

• Clean hair and facial hair
• Appropriate hand hygiene and nail maintenance
• Avoidance of excessive fragrances or scents in patient care settings to prevent patient or staff sensitivity

Hair, jewelry, or accessories must not interfere with:

• Patient care
• PPE use
• Sterile procedures
• Infection prevention standards

Residents and fellows must comply with:

• PPE requirements
• Sterile attire requirements
• Isolation precautions
• Procedural attire standards
• Specialty-specific dress requirements

Departments and clinical sites may impose additional standards for:

• Operating rooms
• Procedural areas
• Intensive care settings
• Emergency departments
• Laboratories

Professional business attire is expected during:

• Conferences
• Interviews
• Recruitment events
• GMEC meetings
• Institutional ceremonies
• Educational presentations
• Professional development activities

Programs may define event-specific expectations.

UNR Med GME supports reasonable accommodations related to:

• Religious practices
• Cultural attire
• Medical conditions
• Disabilities

Requests for accommodations should be coordinated through the University's Human Resources Accommodations office and may also need to be coordinated with the training site's Human Resources office.

Program leadership is responsible for:

• Providing dress code expectations during orientation
• Reinforcing expectations periodically
• Addressing concerns respectfully and professionally

Residents and fellows are expected to comply with corrective guidance related to professional appearance.

Failure to comply with this policy may result in:

• Informal counseling
• Request to change attire
• Professionalism coaching
• Corrective action consistent with institutional and program policies

Repeated or significant violations may result in additional review and/or disciplinary action.