MPH or MBA on ID Badges, white coats, etc.

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
R

redclarissa

New Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
what do you guys think about having an additional degree on your ID badge or printed on your white coat?

I personally find it to be a little bizarre - mainly because people may assume things about you, especially with an MBA (wanting to work for big pharma/insurance and take over the world).

please share your thoughts.
Members don't see this ad.
 
redclarissa said:
what do you guys think about having an additional degree on your ID badge or printed on your white coat?
Click to expand...
It's gotten a little out of control lately, hasn't it?

I'd personally feel silly having any degree listed on my name badge other than my MD or DO and/or Ph.D., with the possible exception of an MPH. Some folks go nuts and it just looks a lot like vanity.
 
The main reason to wear a white coat is to present your professional self to your patients and your colleagues. Generally, your patients don't really give a damn about any of your degrees other than the medical one; and your colleagues probably have more pressing things to do than studying the white coat presentation of your CV.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
In that setting, I think it is tacky, as the highest degree should suffice. I always wonder when I see badges that go, BA, MS, RN, etc. While a person should be proud of their training, it really doesn't need to be paraded around in a professional environment.
 
notdeadyet said:
It's gotten a little out of control lately, hasn't it?

I'd personally feel silly having any degree listed on my name badge other than my MD or DO and/or Ph.D., with the possible exception of an MPH. Some folks go nuts and it just looks a lot like vanity.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think a health related degree is OK if it's a PhD or an MPH.

But I think an MBA, MS (unless it's in something very clinical) is kind of narcissistic. It's OK on your resume, but doesn't need to be on your hospital ID.
 
the MSc on my name badge informs the world that I am the foremost expert on the mathematical modelling of the bioenergetic aspects of reproduction and infant-rearing in small south american monkeys!

It's important that people know this.
 
masterofmonkeys said:
the MSc on my name badge informs the world that I am the foremost expert on the mathematical modelling of the bioenergetic aspects of reproduction and infant-rearing in small south american monkeys!

It's important that people know this.
Click to expand...

double true.

I had the following conversation about four times during my medicine months:

Consulting attending: "You're one of the psych residents, aren't you?"
Me: puzzled, "Why yes, I am. Can you tell because of my hipster glasses, trendy bohemian beard, or by the sweater vests I wear every day?"
Consulting attending: "None of that. You have a masters degree. You must be a psych resident."

You don't just wear the coat for your patients. You wear it to keep blood off your shirt, and you wear it for your colleagues. If you have a degree that, to you, shows that you take something serious enough that you spent an extra year or six pursuing it, and it's relevant to your medical expertise, rock the letters.

The MBA creates difficulties with patient trust. There's probably reason to scratch it. Your MFA in sculpting probably doesn't inform your clinical reasoning nearly as much as you think it does. Your electrical engineering masters just shows you're a nerd. But your mph or health-related research degree? That's fair game.

Don't hate. Hug an MPH today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I remember committing quite a few angry & paranoid patients.

I think if the letters "MBA" were seen on my badge next to the "MD", it would just cause them to get even more upset, especially since many of them accused me of committing them for profit, thinking that I made more money doing so.
 
I agree that anything other than the terminal degree(s) is somewhat narcissistic. It is not relevant to patient care that you possess a masters degree.
 
strangeglove said:
I agree that anything other than the terminal degree(s) is somewhat narcissistic. It is not relevant to patient care that you possess a masters degree.
Click to expand...

Let's say that a patient comes in voicing frustration over unresolved interpersonal issues between his mom, her capuchin monkey, and him. In the course of my master's program I became 100% fluent in the vocal and body language of these monkeys. In such a case, my master's would indeed be relevant to patient care.
 
masterofmonkeys said:
Let's say that a patient comes in voicing frustration over unresolved interpersonal issues between his mom, her capuchin monkey, and him. In the course of my master's program I became 100% fluent in the vocal and body language of these monkeys. In such a case, my master's would indeed be relevant to patient care.
Click to expand...

Only if the monkey came in for a conjoint session... :D
 
I think if the letters "MBA" were seen on my badge next to the "MD", it would just cause them to get even more upset, especially since many of them accused me of committing them for profit, thinking that I made more money doing so.
Click to expand...

Oy...

I just thought what would the patients think when they get their bill, not just from the office but for their meds.

Another reason to not have an MBA not attached to the badge.
 
As for a serious post to this thread, I chose not to get the MSc embroidered on my white coat. But its in my email signature. When I finally get around to getting my CSCS that will likely end up on my white coat though. I hesitated on putting the MSc on there because I didn't want to seem narcissistic.

My take on it is if you took the effort and time to do a master's or other cert and are proud of it/believe its important, go ahead and display it.

I don't think that displaying extra degrees is necessarily an ego thing. Although sometimes it can be.

My MSc represents the fact that I saw a huge hole in pre-med/med education and thought that it was important enough to fill myself. Same with the (eventual) CSCS cert. Both of these things have involved a lot of time and/or money. Not to prove I was better than someone else, but to advance the state of my own knowledge.

Does it matter? Well, if I get up to give a talk in front of a bunch of other MDs and they see that MSc, they know I actually do have formal education in human evolution. If I write a paper on exercise in psychiatry, or consult with a patient over an MSK issue, or counsel an athlete returning from injury, the CSCS tells them I hold one of the most rigorous certs available in exercise and sports nutrition.

I think it can be important depending on the context. So I agree with billy on this issue.
 
masterofmonkeys said:
Does it matter? Well, if I get up to give a talk in front of a bunch of other MDs and they see that MSc, they know I actually do have formal education in human evolution. If I write a paper on exercise in psychiatry, or consult with a patient over an MSK issue, or counsel an athlete returning from injury, the CSCS tells them I hold one of the most rigorous certs available in exercise and sports nutrition.
Click to expand...

I completely agree, though this is covered when you submit a CV with your manuscript to a journal for review.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

S
White coat with outpatients
Replies
19
Views
1K
Sikrouf
S
esob
Refusal of medical monitoring (labs, ekg's, etc) in patients on court compelled medications
Replies
21
Views
1K
ClosetCentrist
C
H
MBA for Psychiatry
Replies
11
Views
945
comp1
C
S
The White Lotus
Replies
1
Views
523
PikminOC
PikminOC
C
Does anyone round Nursing Homes/ALFs/SNFS/ etc?
Replies
3
Views
595
ChudsMgee
C
Top