A popular debate amongst many people is whether or not doctors with tattoos are professional, or if they should even have tattoos, to begin with. My personal opinion is that regardless of tattoos or not, what does body ink have to do with your credentials? I got my first tattoo at 17 years old, and even then I knew I wanted to pursue a job in the medical field. Tattoos or not, a doctor is a doctor.
I held a poll on Twitter as well as GroupMe, and 80 people participated. Of those 80, 75 people stated they would receive treatment from a doctor with tattoos. From this, you would probably think, "Well, sure, the millennials WOULD see a doctor that's tattooed," but it isn't just millennials who would openly agree to this. Also, at this time, it is not uncommon for individuals pursuing healthcare to actually get the job regardless of visible tattoos or not.
According to Bamboo Tattoo Studio California, 73% of employers would hire staff with visible tattoos. This number may be seemingly high, but that is the reality of the time we live in. It is very common for someone in healthcare to have some type of body ink. Another surprising statistic would be that only 4% of pierced or tattooed people have received discrimination at their current jobs.
As time goes on it is my belief that more and more people will be comfortable with tattooed doctors/surgeons, as well as more people in the medical field, being open with their tattoos.
One condition (that is now becoming more lenient) is the ability for someone to have a tattoo as long as it is covered in the workplace. But honestly, what is the big issue behind tattoos? Older men and women may fear tattoos, or they may believe they were impulse decisions with no meaning behind them.
In fact, 43% of people with tattoos believe personal meaning is the biggest factor in choosing a tattoo according to Statistic Brain. Another statistic is that annually people in the U.S. spend over $1 BILLION on tattoos. Of those people, 40% are between the ages of 18-40 (possibly some health care professionals?).
Overall, a person's body is not their resume. To know someone with a 4.0 GPA and great MCAT scores could be declined merely for having tattoos that are visible should be the problem. More power to the people who don't have tattoos, or refuse to see a doctor who chooses to have them, but there is no valid reason to discriminate against those who do. Tattoos or not, a doctor is a doctor if the credentials and abilities are there.
