Top 5 Reasons for the Short Coat

1. Target Practice – In the complicated hierarchy of academic medicine, attendings beat on residents, residents beat on interns, patients beat on interns, and nurses beat on interns (and anyone else that show signs of weakness). Since the interns are so grateful to have help, most do not transfer their abuse to the medical students who serve to a) scut, and b) deflect some of the nursial abuse. When nurses see a short coat, their eyes light up like it was free food day in the cafeteria and that lack of white fabric might as well be a bullseye or a sign that says: 'Yell at me for sitting in your chair.'

2. Limits Responsibility – Despite the lack of experience and knowledge connoted by the short coat, it brings with it a certain freedom, i.e. those who don the half-length jacket are not liable for any missed labs, failed blood draws or late discharges. Ah, the life of the blameless.

3. Still Works with the Chicks – When residents see the short coats, we secretly smirk at the awkward presentations, constant ass kissing and lack of hospital savvy that wear the mini-coat. We hearken back to times when a test at the end of the rotation was our greatest responsibility. They are the pledges of the medical hierarchy, the plankton of the medical food chain. But to non-medical people, they are future earners and the next potential Dr. 90210. The white coat equals doctor and to those who care about such things, that is the long and the short of it.

4. Bottoms Up – Myth has it that the long white coat was invented to cover up the expanding asses of residents and attendings unable to make it to the gym because of their hectic schedules. Still able to hit the treadmill regularly, med students can proudly display their backside, and help bring down their higher-ups just a notch. Fashion Sense – The sport coat is back, baby. Go to any club/lounge/bar in NYC and see for yourself. No longer reserved for the 35 and older crowd, the jacket and jeans look affords the wearer a unique sense of casual-formalness never seen before. Donning that short white coat with jeans and a loose tie could land you ahead of the fashion game. Or the victim of an ass kicking.

5. Fashion Sense – The sport coat is back, baby. Go to any club/lounge/bar in NYC and see for yourself. No longer reserved for the 35 and older crowd, the jacket and jeans look affords the wearer a unique sense of casual-formalness never seen before. Donning that short white coat with jeans and a loose tie could land you ahead of the fashion game. Or the victim of an ass kicking.