Socially Sanctioned Pajamas

Dr. Elizabeth Rubin, M.D.

My parents, and specifically, my traditional grandmother, always insisted that what we wear reflects who we are and how we want to be perceived. “Put on lipstick” or “ tuck in your shirt” were common refrains since adolescence. Naturally, I chose a career where I transition from leggings and workout wear to socially sanctioned pajamas.

As an Emergency Medicine physician, scrubs reflect what I do- see patients and encourage them to strip away the external veneers. Discuss personal, private matters; come in contact with sweat, blood, tears; strive to make a difference to their physical health to optimize their future selves. Somehow though, along the way, as the paternalistic way of medicine transformed into meaningful conversation and patient centered care, formal suit and tie yielded to shapeless, character-free banality. Whether out of necessity or convenience, scrubs became more ubiquitous. And with that, came the loss of a sense of physician self expression.

Enter luxury scrubs. A way to marry all the parts of ourselves. A way to interact with my patient on a personal and practical level in a tangible way. A way to feel good, look good, and do good at the same time. While scrubs of any kind are “socially sanctioned pajamas” I am excited about wearing something that reflects how I want to connect to my patients. As a woman with style, personality, love of comfort, appreciation for beauty. Someone who understands that the doctor-patient relationship extends beyond the sterile walls that define our interaction.