Enclothed Cognition

It was during these summer months in 1908 when the first public Suffragette rallies were held - when women first united to publically demand a voice. I make the occasional private joke about how content I would be as a housewife or a princess, but the reality is that I have a career that I love because of those women that fought on my behalf. And, princess envy aside, I would be furious if my opinion was dismissed based solely on gender. Or if I was married off in exchange for a plot of land. Today, we live in an age of open communication.  The majority of us have voices and platforms for those voices, including Facebook, Twitter, online journals and blogs.  We've become so used to being asked for our opinion nowadays, that actually giving our opinion seems to have lost its importance.  I don't fill out 'how did we do?' cards at stores, and I rarely take the time to go to the web link on my receipt to ‘tell us about our customer service.’  A hundred years ago, most companies (and even the government) wouldn't have really cared what I thought or what I wanted - and now I tend to take opportunities to give my opinion for granted. At Medelita, we are blessed with amazing customers that take the time to tell us how much we've positively affected their daily lives. We're a company that listens - our direction is determined by YOUR voice. Every new set of medical scrubs and lab coats that we introduce is driven by customer and colleague feedback, so each opinion and personal request truly matters to our team. We received an email recently asking us to add new scrub colors to our line-up.  As our new Caribbean Blue scrubs launch this month, we're getting ready to begin the process of developing the next new color . . . and YOU get to decide what that color will be. Please take a minute to choose your top three choices for NEW scrub colors, so we can ensure that we’re adding colors that YOU want.

Did you know that lab coats were originally beige? Prior to the adoption of lab coats in the medical profession, beige lab coats were generally worn by scientists. In the late 19th century, doctors adapted the tradition to symbolize a scientific approach to medicine. However, they changed the color from beige to white. Historically, clerics and caretakers in hospitals wore black robes and physicians dressed in black, which was considered formal and representative of the serious nature of medicine.  The solemn sense of mourning conveyed by the dark clothing was unfortunately appropriate for the majority of patients in a time when being sick enough to require a hospitalization often meant an inevitable death. With advances in medicine in the 20th century, however, hospitals were no longer regarded as houses for dying, but as institutions of healing. The white lab coat, therefore, symbolized not only healing and life, but a new hope in medicine. The word candor is derived from the Latin candidus which means white, and this representation of truth was a visual reminder of the physician's commitment to do no harm, instilling trust and respect in patients. White also conveys cleanliness, an innocence viewed in terms of being absent of infection - a sense of being safe. Angels are almost always depicted in white, and many patients now view the white coat as a "cloak of compassion" - a symbol of the care they expect to receive from their physicians. A garment that symbolizes so much should reflect a certain standard of quality, and at Medelita, we have dedicated ourselves to providing white lab coats worthy of being universal symbols of hope, trust, and compassion.

With the Fourth of July approaching, I cannot help but to reflect upon the idea of Independence. As human beings, we enjoy measuring the passage of time with markers of achievement - another year lived, a certain age reached, a commitment made, a goal reached. For many of us, our first symbol of independence is a car. I still clearly remember the big red bow wrapped around a shiny blue Pontiac Fiero on my 16th birthday. It was an impossibly impractical, but oh-so-beautiful car that will forever be remembered as my first taste of independence. For many medical students, their first symbol of independence as a practitioner is their first full length lab coat. Over 100 medical schools in the USA now celebrate the occasion with a White Coat Ceremony.  A relatively new tradition in some medical, optometry, dental, chiropractic, physical therapy, podiatric, pharmacy, physician assistant, and veterinary schools, the White Coat Ceremony marks the transition from student to member of the healthcare profession - it is the ceremonial "cloaking" of a doctor-to-be as she or he embarks upon their medical career. The white coat is a universal symbol of the medical profession, and after countless years of study and sacrifice, students beginning their careers deserve to stand proud in their first lab coat. Medelita garments are the perfect choice for a lab coat that will forever be remembered as their first.  Unlike my impractical classic sports car, however, our lab coats are as functional as they are flattering.  Medelita professional lab coats are breathable 100% cotton treated with DuPont™ Advanced Dual Action Teflon® fabric protector to resist fluid, soil, and stains - including blood - keeping the coat clean and white. We also have a school discount program. Personalized for each participating educational institution, the Medelita School Discount Program offers students in medical fields an opportunity to save up to 40% on lab coats purchased in bulk for White Coat Ceremonies.  Medical students beginning their studies often see their education and role as future physicians as aspiring to be worthy of the long white lab coat . . . At Medelita, we believe that the long white lab coat should be worthy of them.

At Medelita, we believe that embroidery is the finest finishing touch that you can add to your lab coat or set of scrubs. Name and title embroidery is a sophisticated and beautifully sewn statement of your personal achievement, level of education, and professional aptitude. One of our favorite sayings here is that embroidery is “the closest thing to wearing your diploma.” We pride ourselves on being a customer service oriented company, and every embroidery and logo request is handled with the personal attention of our Embroidery Liaison, Cindy Hull. Cindy has been with Medelita since the early days of Medelita, and her passion and dedication to perfection is without equal. When an embroidery order is placed, Cindy works extensively with the customer to communicate all details and expectations to David, our embroidery artist. David was the only embroidery artist in Southern California that not only matched but welcomed the “type A” standards of our Founder, Lara Manchik, PA-C. Lara boasts that David is the only Medelita employee that was interviewed only once.  In David’s words, "I won't send it unless I would wear it myself, and unless Lara would consider it perfect." In celebration of our dedicated in-house embroidery team, we're offering our customers and colleagues an End-of-June discount on embroidery and shipping. For the next two days, you will receive Free Name & Title Embroidery and Free Shipping on any order. The more you buy, the more you save.

• Spend $100 - Receive Free Name & Title Embroidery and Free Shipping on any ONE lab coat or set of scrubs. Code: June100
• Spend $200 - Receive Free Name & Title Embroidery and Free Shipping on any TWO lab coats or scrub sets. Code: June200
• Spend $300 - Receive Free Name & Title Embroidery and Free Shipping on any THREE lab coats or scrub sets. Code: June300
• Spend $400 - Receive Free Name & Title Embroidery and Free Shipping on any FOUR lab coats or scrub sets. Code: June400

To discuss logos and group orders, please email contact.us@medelita.com or call 877-987-7979 for concierge service.

I remember laughing, over a decade ago, at an episode of Seinfeld in which George was instrumental in changing the Yankees uniforms from polyester to cotton. The Yankees won their first game in a landslide, and George proclaims, "The uniforms! Did you see how they played? Listen to these comments! Wade Boggs: 'What a fabric! Finally we can breathe.' Luis Palonia: 'Cotton is king.' Paul O'Neill: 'I never dreamed anything could be so soft and fluffy.' " Of course, as with most Seinfeld episodes, yada, yada, yada . . . the plan backfired and the Yankees lost the next game because their uniforms shrank in the laundry. However, fabric has come a long way since 1994. Medelita puts a great deal of thought into our choice of fabrics. Medelita scrubs are made with a high-performance drirelease® with FreshGuard® fabric. What this means is that the fabric itself is moisture-wicking, quick drying, and soft. Drirelease® yarns pull moisture away from the skin and helps to regulate skin temperature, minimizing sweat and discomfort.  FreshGuard® is bacteriostatic; it neutralizes and inhibits the growth of bacterial odors. The patented formula is applied at the yarn level, so the benefits are permanent and last the lifetime of the garment. And the best part – no shrinkage for you! Medelita lab coats are 100% cotton.  We go through various processes to ensure that you can still enjoy the comfort of a breathable cotton lab coat, while not having to worry about noticeable shrinkage.  Medelita lab coat fabric is compacted and pre-shrunk - exposed to hot water and drying during processing.  Medelita lab coat fabric is also treated with High IQ Easy Care Plus to prevent shrinkage and minimize wrinkling.  These three components help to keep Medelita lab coat shrinkage to a maximum of 3% width and 3% length.  These maximum percentages apply to home laundering in hot water and drying on the highest temperature.  If we used a regular cotton fabric, and did not adhere to these additional steps, the shrinkage would be 12% or greater. Medical professionals trying Medelita for the first time often do say things reminiscent of "What a fabric! Finally we can breathe." Unlike the Yankees cotton of years past, however, Medelita garments will never noticeably shrink in the wash, so you can always be comfortable and at the top of your game.

Medical professionals dedicate their careers to serving others, and save lives every day without demanding or ever expecting recognition for the tremendous impact they make on countless lives. At Medelita, we believe that you deserve an appearance consistent with this high level of achievement - and that is our everyday motivation to provide functional, professional medical lab coats and scrubs. It's a motivation founded from personal experience. I was recently speaking with Medelita Founder, Lara Manchik, PA-C about her years as a clinician, and one particular story stood out from our conversation. A 64-year-old man came into the Urgent Care complaining primarily of congestion. Stuffy nose. That’s it. He mentioned in his past medical history that he was a diabetic, and that he had seen his primary doctor within the month with no new or worrisome findings.  EKG was normal. He mentioned that the night before he had some shortness of breath, but that he thought it was related to the congestion.  Rather than dismiss a step based on assumption, Lara followed her instincts and asked the nurse to run an EKG. Her request saved his life, as the man was having a full-blown heart attack with zero chest pain.  As she told the story, our Medelita Founder spoke with an admiring humility. Rather than show pride or boast clinical competence, she just wanted to talk about the letter that the patient wrote to her after recovery, and how she’ll never forget that experience the rest of her life. She seemed to feel very lucky for having the intuition to do an EKG, and the many years of ER experience to think worst-case scenario (she called it a zebra). She has great reason to be proud - as do all of our customers and colleagues. ----------- I think everyone in medicine and dentistry has stories like this.  We’d love to be inspired by yours . . .

A great deal of thought goes into every important decision made at Medelita, including the design of new garments and the introduction of a new color. On one of my first days at Medelita, our Founder, Lara Manchik and I were discussing scrub colors. New to the nuances of the industry, I suggested some perky and creative color names, and I recall quite succinctly watching her nose wrinkle before she patiently (and kindly) explained that, at Medelita, even the color of a garment must be a representation of our high standards of professionalism and quality. I learned that day, and again every day since, that our customers and colleagues are our highest priority. We read every email that a customer sends, and we listen to every comment, suggestion, and request. We are always striving to reach a higher level of perfection and ensure that we're meeting the needs of the dedicated individuals we serve. I am, therefore, excited to announce that Medelita is introducing a new color to our line of clinician scrubs and men's scrubs. Just in time for summer, Medelita is calling to mind tropical beaches and warm sunny days with the introduction of Caribbean Blue scrubs in both men's and women's styles. Flattering on all skin tones, this modern and professional color is a statement of quality and achievement. In addition to looking good and feeling comfortable, Medelita medical scrubs are also designed to be both functional and durable. For women, our Caribbean Blue clinician scrubs feature a teal drawstring. To ensure consistency and present a polished look, name and title embroidery on our scrubs always matches the color of the drawstring. For men, the embroidery and the drawstring color are a masculine and professional cocoa color. Caribbean Blue scrubs will be available for pre-order on July 1st with shipping commencing on July 15th.  We anticipate you'll love this new choice as much as our existing scrub colors.

Imagine for a moment that you're facing an important court case, and your attorney arrives in a $30 suit. Would you feel it didn't matter, or would your confidence in that attorney be shattered, if only a little? While the dollar amount is just an example, the quality of a garment has a huge impact on the overall appearance of the individual wearing it - and in most professions, society demands that the appearance match the prestige. Within the medical world, however, there is an unimaginably low standard for appearance. Most patients view their health and well-being with the same, if not more, importance as you may view a pivotal court case. However, it's an acceptable norm for a practitioner to walk into a room wearing a $30 lab coat or set of scrubs. It's a stretch to pretend that appearance in such a situation doesn't matter, so how did the standard become so low? At Medelita, we are raising the bar and creating a paradigm shift that is rippling across the medical industry and finally treating our customers like the highly qualified and dedicated individuals that they are - in all ways, including appearance.  We often say that a lab coat is your suit, and we believe it. As a garment worn every single day as an outward symbol of achievement and aptitude, you deserve the very best. In comparison to other medical garments, we are indeed more expensive. What you get with Medelita is a higher quality, functionally innovative, and sophisticated garment that stands head and shoulders above the rest. After all, your lab coat is your suit.™

One of my best friends was at her sister's wedding a few months ago. The ceremony was beautiful, in a perfect and romantic setting on the banks of a lake in Texas. My friend, as the maid of honor, was charged with holding the ring until the right moment and had placed it loosely on her own finger.  Right before the exchange, my friend lifted her hand to brush back her hair - and the ring fell off. Her expression as her brother-in-law's ring sank into the depths of the lake was priceless, and captured for eternity in photographs that make her want to cry while the rest of us can't help but laugh.

While few occasions of losing a ring can quite match that level of horrifying, a wedding band for anyone who wears one is a priceless and cherished item. Extending far beyond the face value, a wedding ring is a symbol of the love that inspired its existence, and losing it is a tragedy in any circumstance.

Many Medical Professionals are faced with a unique challenge in regards to wedding rings. In any situation that requires a medical professional to work with their hands, whether as a surgeon, dental surgeon or any medical professional required to scrub into the OR, a ring can be not only a hindrance but a dangerous liability. Lacking a safe place to store a priceless ring during such moments, a lot of medical professionals put their rings in their scrub top or tie it to the drawstring of their scrub pants, and many rings get lost this way. Others choose not to wear their wedding rings to work - leading to more than a few disgruntled spouses.

Medelita has recently discovered a small company offering a solution to this disconcerting dilemma. Designed by Meredith Pike, PA-C, a Physician Assistant working in Interventional Radiology, the Ring Cling is a small device that attaches to any article of clothing and provides a safe and secure place for your wedding ring when you are unable to wear it.

The Ring Cling can be attached securely to your scrubs during surgery, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to focus on your patients without a nagging concern for the important ring you either left on a counter or in a pocket or simply left at home. An added benefit is that the Ring Cling contains a small metal bead so that you will never misplace it or forget you're wearing it. Whenever you remove your scrubs with the Ring Cling attached, it will rattle to remind you that it's there.

At Medelita, we're happy to support any innovation that seeks to improve the lives of our customers and colleagues.

We recently had a customer ask if she could clean her Medelita lab coat with natural soap, vinegar, or orange oil. As we, as a society, become increasingly more aware of our carbon footprints and chemical toxicity, a desire for eco-friendly options is rising - so I wanted to take a moment to address this question for all of our customers. For Medelita lab coats, we do not recommend using anything citrus-based as a cleaning agent. The acidity in orange or lemon oils acts like chlorinated bleach. Chlorinated bleach is extremely harsh and will slowly eat away at the cotton of your coat. While most lab coats are polyester, Medelita lab coats are 100% cotton treated with DuPont™ Advanced Dual Action Teflon® fabric protector,  which repels and releases stains. A gentle detergent in the agitation of washing is usually enough to leave your coat as white and clean as the day it was purchased. However, if you want to use bleach, a non-chlorinated version is acceptable. For Green cleaning solutions, we suggest using white vinegar or a natural lavender-based soap. Lavender has natural antibacterial properties, and will kill germs and bacteria without compromising the fabric. As seen on Dr. Oz, lavender oil also kills bacteria on the skin and nails. For example, if you get a fungus from the nail spa, putting lavender oil on your nails at night will clear it right up.