For those of us not in the medical field, we believe that a lab coat is just a lab coat. But for those in the medical field, you know that you ultimately get what you pay for.

Like most people I have always been under the impression that there is no difference between one doctors lab coat and another. Lab coats are just lab coats, right? Just cloth with pockets for prescription pads, correct?

Ask any doctor and they will laugh at this. I actually know this because one of my friends who is a pediatrician did this when I asked her why she would spend $150 on a lab coat. How was I supposed to know? But I guess the old rule applies here: you get what you pay for. You can spend less on a lab coat, but if you spend all day in it, you wouldn’t want to.

She put it to me this way: say you’re a lawyer who has to spend most of his or her day driving from city to city for court appearances. You spend, say, four hours a day on the road driving your car. When it comes time to purchase a new car that you’re going to spend all that time in, are you going to buy the cheap car with uncomfortable seats or a more expensive one that has designer seats which won’t hurt your back day after day? Chances are if you have the money you’re going to spend a little extra of it on the car that you’ll be the most comfortable in.

And like a car, differently priced lab coats have different features and comfort levels. A basic lab coat will essentially give you a coat with one or two pockets, no stain protection and very little breathability. If you can live with it then go ahead, you just won’t be very comfortable with it. Also, they probably aren’t going to last that long so you’ll have to buy a new one fairly soon.

According to my friend good lab coats all have a few things in common. First of all, the fabric needs to be breathable. 100% cotton lab coats seem to be the way to go since they not only breathe but also are more durable, comfortable, and look better longer. While most people might not think about it, the way a lab coat fits is also very important. A properly fitted coat disperses the weight of the garment and its contents (i.e. what’s in the pockets) over the entire shoulders and not just the back of the neck. This obviously makes the lab coat more comfortable.

My friend also stated that a quality doctors lab coat should have at least four pockets, have soil and stain treatment and should give its wearer a full range of motion without compromising protection. Finally, lab coats have to have a certain style. Since it will be one of the first impressions you make to your patients, you want them to look good and give them off a certain professional feel. All of these make a good lab coat, and it’s a lot more important than you might think.

Author Kimberly Green has many friends in the medical field and got this information about doctors lab coats from those who are actively wearing them in the field.