rosesarered_23/InstagramDr Sarah Gray, ‘the world’s most tattooed doctor’, has defended her body art, saying: ‘your appearance in no way defines you, nor your ability to be competent’.
A 2018 study on perceptions of medical students and staff, from the University of Dundee, suggested certain tattoos weren’t perceived as appropriate – with facial art being the most contentious.
However, Dr Gray – a ‘decorated doctor’ and highly popular Instagram model – is breaking down the stereotypes about what medical professionals should look like, and why it doesn’t matter at all.
Dr Gray was originally recognised for winning Miss Inked Australia in 2017. Now, she’s a surgical resident based in Adelaide aspiring to be an orthopaedic surgeon. She also has more than 86,000 followers on Instagram, where she is on a mission to ‘spread the word for tattoo acceptance.’
Discussing how patients and colleagues respond to her ink, Dr Gray told Medscape:
Patients and colleagues react to them in a positive way. I’m often complemented on my colourful appearance. Patients, in particular the younger generation, find it can be a good barrier break down and often say they feel I look more approachable than some of the more traditionally conservative doctors.
I always dress presentably and ultimately if you’re a good listener, have empathy and compassion, having artwork on your skin doesn’t seem to matter. It certainly doesn’t make you any less capable at the task at hand.
The 31-year-old said there’s been a number of instances where ‘heavily tattooed patients feel more comfortable opening up’ to her.
rosesarered_23/InstagramTattoos are becoming far less niche today; according to Dr Gray, 15% of people in Australia last year had at least one tattoo, and that number is always growing. In the UK, it’s also estimated that one in five adults have a tattoo.
Dr Gray says tattoos shouldn’t even be a consideration when it comes to anyone’s career, calling it a ‘personal choice’ and adding we should ‘encourage self-expression.’
Dr Gray added:
I don’t think it should be the case of what is or isn’t allowed for doctors, or anyone for that matter. Body art is a personal choice and it’s just a form of art collecting, only it’s on skin. Your appearance in no way defines you, nor your ability to be competent and we should encourage creative self-expression.
While she conceded that having something offensive visible wouldn’t be appropriate as a doctor, Sarah is keen to insist that people shouldn’t have to fit into a ‘pre-conceived mould of what others think’ a doctor should look like.
She explained:
I’m just being myself. I’m proud of who I am and haven’t let my profession define me as a person. It’s a huge part of who I am and I’m working hard to be a great doctor and future surgeon, but my life outside of medicine is just as important.
Why should we have to fit into a pre-conceived mould of what others think we should look like to be a ‘competent and professional’ doctor? I say to everyone, just be yourself, and if you’re caring, empathetic, competent and a hard worker you can be anything, especially a great doctor.
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.