VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

In the classroom, anatomy lab, conference rooms, auditoriums, PPC/OMM labs, or other similar venues, hats should not be worn. If a student has a compelling reason they feel would be appropriate for them to wear a hat or head covering, they should speak to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in advance. Scarves or headdresses that appear professional and are worn for religious purposes are allowed. Dress Code in the Anatomy Lab In addition to the universal dress code outlined above, while in the anatomy lab, students must change into scrubs and closed-toe shoes. Hats may not be worn in the anatomy lab. Scarves or headdresses that appear professional and are worn for religious purposes are allowed. Dress Code in the OMM Lab In addition to the universal dress code outlined above, the dress requirement in clinical skills training sessions is designed to promote learning by providing optimal access to diagnostic observation and palpatory experience. Wearing inappropriate clothing interferes with a partner’s experience of diagnosis and treatment. Appropriate attire must be clean. Each student doctor must be appropriately attired before class begins. Students who do not wear the required clothing will be asked to leave the lab and return when they are appropriately clothed. If the student cannot return in appropriate clothing for a significant portion of the lab, the student may receive an absence for this lab at the discretion of the PPC/OMM Chair. If a student repeatedly persists in not dressing appropriately it will be considered unprofessional conduct, and he/she will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs. • When not in the role of the patient: o Students may wear T-shirts, scrub wear, or sweatshirt/pants. However, students must be wearing the prescribed laboratory attire beneath this clothing. o Hats or head coverings (other than for religious purposes) are not permitted in the lab. • When in the role of the patient, students may keep their T-shirts, scrub wear, or sweatshirt/pants on until an area of the body needs exposed for examination and/or palpation. When an area of the body needs exposed for examination and/or palpation, the student must remove the additional layers of clothing and adhere to the following dress: o Upper Body:  Male Students - Bare skin  Female Students - Sports bra or bathing suit top that must expose the spine and ribs, not wide t-back styles.

 Students with religious dress requirements may keep on a buttoned-up shirt (either put on backwards or forwards depending on which area of the body needs examined) over their sports bra so that it can be unbuttoned/undraped during evaluation that requires exposure of the upper body. The shirt may be immediately buttoned after that portion of clinical skills training. Should this hinder the learning experience of their partner, the student will be asked to remove the shirt for examination/palpation in their sports bra.  Hats or head coverings (other than for religious purposes) are not permitted in the lab.  Religious head coverings must be modified when necessary to allow palpation when they would obscure the immediate area to be examined or treated (e.g., head, neck, upper back). Modifications can include adjustment of the covering permitting unobstructed palpation beneath the covering or substitution of a thinner material that allows for adequate evaluation and treatment. The head covering may be immediately replaced after that portion of clinical skills training.

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