In television and social media, doctors, epidemiologists and other health professionals often wear white coats to project credibility, authority and professionalism. However, the symbolism of the white coat is not straightforward. While some viewers find it reassuring, others may find it intimidating or off-putting, a symbol of a power differential and of the knowledge gap between expert and lay person.

This article looks at the semiotics of the white coat in media communication: its history, its positive and negative connotations, the role of scrubs as an alternative and the implications for trust and empathy in public health messaging.

The historical legacy of the white coat

The white coat emerged in the late 19th century as medicine sought to distinguish itself from mysticism and quackery (for instances of the latter, read Molière’s Le Médecin Malgré Lui / The Doctor In Spite of Himself). The white coat was consciously adopted from laboratory science to mark medicine as a modern, scientific discipline. Over time, alongside the stethoscope, it became visual shorthand for medical authority and objectivity and events like the White Coat Ceremony still ritualise its symbolism in medical education. Writers like Blumhagen have traced how the coat helped consolidate the image of the physician as a scientific professional in modern societies.

Positive semiotics

·       Signalling scientific authority: Wearing a white coat signals that the speaker represents evidence-based, modern medicine.

·       Professionalism: Suggests skill, seriousness, expertise and dedication.

·       Trust and confidence: Inspires immediate trust, reassuring audiences that the information is reliable.

·       Cleanliness and sterility: The colour white symbolises hygiene and sterility, reinforcing a message of safety and control, especially salient during outbreaks.

·       Tradition and ritual: The White Coat Ceremony for medical students underscores the garment’s enduring power as a symbol of initiation into a profession.

Negative semiotics

·       Perceived coldness or detachment: The emphasis on objectivity can make the wearer seem emotionally distant.

·       White coat syndrome: A known phenomenon where patients experience anxiety or elevated blood pressure upon seeing a white coat. This symbol may trigger discomfort rather than reassurance.

·       Barrier to communication: The white coat can reinforce hierarchies, making audiences feel a power imbalance that limits empathy.

·       Erosion of authority:  White coats appear in non-medical contexts (cosmetic counters, spas, sales staff), which means that the symbol’s unique authority is diluted.

·       Infection risk: Research has questioned the hygiene of white coats in hospital settings, prompting debates about whether they should even be worn.

·       Necessary? Why would an epidemiologist give a statement about infection rates wearing a white coat? What does the white coat have to do with the practice of epidemiology? Yet, armies of epidemiologists all around the world during COVID-19 shared updates and press conferences across media platforms wearing them.

Scrubs as an alternative

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many health professionals opted for scrubs rather than white coats. Scrubs signalled a focus on practical care and infection control, emphasising approachability and immediacy of practice rather than formal authority. Scrubs are also strongly associated with frontline work and “hands-on” medicine, highlighting empathy and solidarity with patients. Studies on patient perceptions have shown that uniforms like scrubs evoke trust, competence and feelings of comfort.

Unlike white coats, scrubs do not carry the same hierarchical weight. They are egalitarian attire, worn by nurses, doctors and technicians alike. This can soften the symbolic distance between professional and public, making communicators seem less aloof and more accessible. Yet, scrubs lack the ceremonial authority of the white coat; they may not convey gravitas in the same way during moments of crisis. Thus, scrubs and white coats embody different semiotic choices: authority versus approachability, tradition versus practicality.

A strategic communication choice

The decision to wear a white coat or scrubs in interviews is ultimately strategic:

·       Fans of the white coat: Argue it provides instant credibility, useful in crises when authoritative voices are needed.

·       Critics of the white coat: Suggest it can alienate audiences, reinforcing barriers rather than connection. In settings like psychiatry or paediatrics, clinicians often avoid white coats to reduce intimidation.

·       Fans of scrubs: Highlight their associations with teamwork, practical care and infection control. In a pandemic, scrubs visually link the communicator to the frontline rather than the ivory tower.

·       Critics of scrubs: Scrubs may erode the aura of professional authority in contexts where audiences expect formal symbols of science and leadership.

The semiotic balancing act

What the white coat and scrubs illustrate is that attire in public communication is never neutral. Each garment carries cultural baggage and semiotic force. The white coat projects authority, science and cleanliness but risks hierarchy and detachment. Scrubs convey empathy, solidarity and immediacy but may lack gravitas.

The choice depends on the balance communicators want to strike between authority and accessibility, tradition and empathy.

Conclusion

The white coat remains one of the most enduring symbols in medicine. In media appearances, it conveys scientific authority and professionalism, but it also risks evoking coldness and distance, hierarchy and anxiety. Scrubs, meanwhile, emphasise hands-on, frontline care, teamwork and approachability but it may sacrifice the aura of authority. Communicators should consider context, audience and message when choosing between them. In some cases, particularly public-facing interviews, a more approachable dress code such as scrubs may do more to build trust than the white coat’s traditional symbolism. The semiotics of medical attire thus remain central to how publics perceive health expertise in times of both crisis and calm.

Alternatively, how about ditching both white coat and scrubs and opt for civvie clothes instead: shirt, blouse, jacket, pants? You might achieve better reach and resonance that way.

Thank you for reading,

Mark Gibson

Leeds, United Kingdom, September 2025

References

Blumhagen, D.W. The Doctor’s White Coat: The Image of the Physician in Modern America. Sci-Hub.

Hunimed University. The meaning of the white coat. Oct 25, 2021.

MDPI. White Coats at a Crossroads: Hygiene, Infection Risk and Cultural Beliefs. Dec 21, 2024.

Cleveland Clinic. What Is White Coat Syndrome?

BMJ Blogs. Patients still view doctor’s white coat as symbol of professionalism. Aug 13, 2025.

PubMed. Hospitalised patients' views on doctors and white coats. Aug 20, 2001.

Taylor & Francis Online. The active white coats: a costume studies approach to the symbolic authority of the lab coat. Jun 19, 2025.

Harvard Design Magazine. White Coat. 2018.

British Medical Association. Bring back the white coat? Feb 17, 2022.

AAMC. The white coat: Symbol of professionalism or hierarchical barrier? Jul 31, 2018.

British Journal of Nursing. A scoping review exploring people’s perceptions of healthcare uniforms. Aug 14, 2024.

University of Bristol. Neville, P., McNally, L., & Waylen, A. Developing a Dental Scrubs Ceremony to define professional identity. 2018.

The White Coat Legacy. Unveiling the Historical and Professional Symbolism. TeeShoppen UK.

Rachael England DrPH MPH FCGDent. LinkedIn post on the symbolism of the white coat. Jan 26, 2025.