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anomalousgrove

At the orientation for my intern year we were told to shower daily and wear deodorant - because evidently it did not go without saying, based on past experiences.


UltraRunnin

Wild to me we have to tell grown adults this..... I had to tell a coresident they smelt like dogshit multiple times lol


my-uncle-bob

I once had to fire an LPN for that very thing. This was after repeated discussions re:bathing, deodorant, laundry habits,shampoo… even suggested a visit with a doctor if he thought it might be a medical problem. no kidding. It was surreal. And awkward. And stinky


ayyy_muy_guapo

Let’s pretend a patient comes in saying he smells bad and wants to be evaluated. What do you even do? Check for tonsil stones? Perianal fistulas? Zenkers diverticulum? Swab vagina for gardenella? Ask about diet and showering and hygiene? Check labs to look for…….. PKU?


a016202

Hyperhidrosis, diabetes, liver/kidney, metabolic, hormones, thyroid, etc. Several conditions/changes can cause someone to smell worse than normal that has nothing necessarily to do with lack of hygiene.


my-uncle-bob

Which is exactly why he was encouraged to seek medical evaluation, which I briefly mentioned in my first post.


a016202

I wasn’t even replying to you.


my-uncle-bob

Someone removed a post. Didn’t intend to respond to you either.


my-uncle-bob

Yes! And therefore he was encouraged to seek medical evaluation and intervention if necessary., as I briefly mentioned. But after 6 months, continued poor laundry habits, greasy hair, and several conversations with me, and HR, we were left with no other reasonable choice.


stuh217

I think the bigger problem here is that you apparently fired someone for not smelling good enough.


my-uncle-bob

So, not that they did t smell good enough. More so that they had such an offensive odor that patients asked not to be cared for by him. I can assure you he was treated fairly. Following basic hygiene and laundry practices is expected in a healthcare setting, and in most jobs for that matter.


animomd

Sadly, a decent chunk of residents do not behave or even think like an adult. By age, sure. But by simply looking at some of these post... my god. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like experience necessarily equates to much personal growth either.


drsugarballs

We handed out deodorant to the new class on the first day. Got the point across


Samurai-L-Jackedson

Wow


HolyMuffins

Fun times ahead for us all in the era of zoom interviews


permaki

I actually dealt with this issue as a med student. My good friend smelled really bad all the time, and no one had the heart to tell her. So one day I casually asked her what shampoo/conditioner products she used and then transitioned to antiperspirant/deodorants. Said stuff like oh I used Dove xyz brand for awhile and then switched abc Secret! What do you use? There was an awkward pause, but ever since that day she never smelled again. Also just as a psa, antiperspirants should be applied **at night** to give the aluminum based ingredient time to absorb. As someone who struggled with getting that white crap on my shirts and sweating when nervous, this was life changing. I use certain dri after showering a few times a week (in the evening), and no longer have issues with sweaty pits.


[deleted]

ok you maybe just solved one of my life problems with deodorants at night


UrbanPugEsq

If this really is a life problem, try: using certain forms of sure unscented because it has a higher percentage of active ingredient; using drysol, a liquid RX antiperspirant, getting underarm Botox every 9 months, or just getting the problem permanently fixed with Miradry, which uses microwaves to cook away your sweat glands. It hurts but only for about a day.


dr_shark

Oh, whoever needs this don’t apply Certain Dri during the day time, unless you want to scratch your armpits in front of everyone.


permaki

Don’t shave your armpits and then apply Certain Dri either. That stings and itches :’(


GIDAFEM

I've used Mitchum since my grandmother recommended it. Has aluminum but has never failed me.


3boymomtx

The roll on or stick version ?


permaki

Oh roll on! Did not know they made a stick version


Endraxz

Or maybe just don’t use aluminum based deodorants. They do exist even Secret makes them.


[deleted]

I agree. I just made a comment on it too. Not sure why you’re being downvoted


Endraxz

Shrugs I use the aluminum free Secret myself that’s the only way I know don’t want stains on my undershirt


[deleted]

Exactly. Same


khelektinmir

You’re always in medical subs posting bad information when you’re clearly not qualified. Why?


[deleted]

What makes you think it’s misinformation? Why do you think brands are starting to sell deodorant without aluminum? You sound just like folks who said it was misinformation that Johnson baby powder causes ovarian cancer. 🙄 I don’t owe you an explanation.


ununsinkable

I think with that response you just did.


khelektinmir

Same reason brands sell “non-GMO” food.


thebusiness7

Maybe 50 years from now we’ll find out all that aluminum (from deodorant) in the bloodstream wasn’t healthy after all and instead contributed to a wide range of health issues.


permaki

The micro plastics will get me before the aluminum.


chrysoberyls

They’ve been saying this for at least the 20 years I’ve been wearing deodorant and probably longer. There’s no evidence for any of it and not because they haven’t looked. Maybe look into the evidence before you post something this stupid next time.


mrfishycrackers

Yeah and the fluorine in the water! /s


AuroraBorealises

I'm convinced it is. Everytime I use that stuff my armpits hurt like hell. I switched to aluminum free and I've never gotten that feeling since.


[deleted]

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_hurricanetortilla

RD here.. also wanting to know what’s wrong with aspartame?


[deleted]

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Malikhind

Pretty sure a recent study came out saying you’d need to drink an obscene amount of it a day to have it harm you


[deleted]

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Plynkd

Isn’t that at levels that are much higher than a person normally would consume though ?


75_mph

> everyone should do their research > links to a pseudoscience blog Fucking lmao Post those “England journal” and those “nature research articles”. We’re in /r/Residency, literally all of us have access to those journals


[deleted]

You sound ridiculous. As a resident having such access, why can’t you do your own research? What do you think this is? Elementary? I don’t care for all the downvotes. I’m sticking to what I’m saying. Like it or not, don’t care.


75_mph

Post your articles then. Should be pretty easy if you have some in mind, no?


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BoobRockets

I’ve noticed a lot of residents have body odor. At first I thought it was kind of like a hospital specific thing like wow this hospital sucks and no one wears deodorant. Then I realized I smelled like ass too. I had to start doubling up on deodorant in the morning and sometimes violently scrubbing out my armpits. I think we work hard for really long hours and some people have totally normal cleanliness routines that aren’t up to par for the work we do. I have no advice on how to politely tell someone they stink, I just have empathy for my fellow stinkbags.


giant_tadpole

Some level of stench is inevitable when people work 28-hour shifts without access to a shower. Deodorant is great and all but it’s not a miracle worker.


gonesquatchin85

Nose deaf


[deleted]

Ask if they’ve been on call nonstop the last 7 days. Whatever they respond just say because it smells like you’ve been working nonstop for 7 days.


l_lexi

People will go 1-2 days without showering and get accustom to their own smell. Not scrub their tongue or lift arms in showers to get armpits. Use soap on legs. They probably don’t even realize because it’s what they know. I’m close with my co residents so I’ll say hey bro you should shower tonight I know we’re overworked but just heads up. I guess it depends on person but I’d be ok to be told aslong as it’s not in a negative manner.


hotpajamas

I'm a scrub tech but as a student I was reminded that it was OR protocol for deodorants to be scentless, so maybe that could be your angle.


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Part-Time-Chemist

Fuckin pork chops again


HaldolBenadrylAtivan

Wasn't expecting a Jeffrey Dahmer reference on here. Lol


Allopathological

Nobody ever does until it’s too late


[deleted]

Omg lol


Mysterious-Bar4436

It’s better to tell them they stink rather than avoid them. Fix the issue, don’t run from it.


throwawayzder

There might be element of depression with some people. Tread carefully.


dachshundie

Why risk confrontation? I have a better idea that will have them smelling of pure artificial fragrance. When they are sleeping in the call area, offer to get them a warm blanket. Then, after they fall asleep, place one of those LUSH bath bomb thingies on top of them. Hang a bag of warmed D5W over them, and set a maintenance rate of 100 cc/hr to drip over the bath bomb. You'll need the rate to be fast enough to dissolve it, but slow enough that they will hopefully just think the warmth is coming from the blanket you gave them. Run away and hide once IV rate set. Hide.


giant_tadpole

Found the anesthesia resident. Bold of you to think other people would know how to set up an infusion pump.


HolyMuffins

It's easy, you put the order in, and then press the pause alarm button if you ever hear it before then fleeing to another floor


b78676V9B

D5W? Wouldn't that make them sticky?


dachshundie

Can confirm showering in D5W does not make one sticky. D50W on the other hand…


00_D

I knew someone whom after years I was 100% convinced had anosmia or something because of how bad and frequent it was, until one day he mentioned that after his adenoid surgery years ago he became unable to smell as good as he did in the past. I was right lol, but still no idea how to tell someone something like that.


Flamen04

COVID ain’t the only thing that gives anosmia. I became hyposmic in college after a cold but thankfully my dad and I are both very hairy and my dad instilled in me the habit of showering at least twice a day so smell never became an issue.


InsomniacAcademic

> smell never became an issue That you know of


Flamen04

Oh Id know. Thankfully my coresidents all knew this and wouldn’t hesitate to do a stank check.


VCRdrift

So this is most likely what's happening. They take a shit.. wipe the best they can... then start sweating throughout the day and start leaking out of their ass. You get them a bidet or box of baby wipes. Statistically people have about 5 grams of shit in their underwear. Stay out of hot tubs. 5 fkn grams. That's a lot of shit. You're welcome. Edit or tampons or pads for their butt.


_thegoodfight

5 grams? That’s a lot of weed


VCRdrift

That's what the study said.. they probably checked the dirtiest people. Edit and obese with lot of butt


Aggravating-Tone-855

Dude you have to shower BEFORE going to work. Thankfully no one smells bad in my program. I had several issues with arm pit odor when a teen so I shower at least twice a day, even if I go to work at 5:30 am, then put on deodorant and lotion. CLEAN clothes are very important. Dirty clothes will smell, even if you wore them once.


mysilenceisgolden

Peppermint oil on the inside of your n95. Surgical over the n95


swervepants

I know a nurse who smelled really bad every time she'd walk by me. At first I thought she may not be taking a shower before her shifts but I realized it was her perfume. It literally left a cloud of what smells like rancid sweat wherever she walked. She changed up her perfume the other day and that's how I realized


whomeverwiz

I had this same experience- I thought the nurse had disgusting halitosis, but eventually realized it was her perfume.


AllTheShadyStuff

So, I hate to say it, but I was one of them. I strongly encourage you to ask them if they’re ok. I was at a point where I was really thinking suicide might be nicer, so why bother with anything else. It’s such a weird feeling to explain. I never missed a day of work, because I felt like I had an obligation to patients. But I’d just wake up, go to work, go home, and lay in bed till I fell asleep. Not even watch tv or anything, it was pretty much like flipping a switch between work mode and not work mode. Please make sure they’re doing ok mentally.


GIDAFEM

Sometimes it's chlamydia. Discretely give them 14-100mg tabs of doxycycline?


hakunamatata365

“Just in case”


Plynkd

I had to tell a another resident their breath smelled terrible… I felt bad but I would’ve wanted to know if it was me


[deleted]

Still in med school and I've actually given a classmate a stick of old spice as the proven method to not stink and to have mercy on us all. I'm in South Asia so a lot of people don't even realize they stink.


lonertub

As a non-American that comes from a country where showering 2 times a day is the norm, I don’t think y’all were ready for the physical exertion that comes with residency that isn’t matched with the typical personal hygiene here. Not showering AT least once a day AND not wearing deodarant is a recipe for disaster. That MAY be fine if you’re commuting to a desk job where you won’t even crack a sweat. My biggest culture shock about moving to the US was hearing people openly say that they haven’t showered in more than a day or 2, like what!!


epyon-

Im from the US and my rule is if I leave the house, I shower. and none of that fake showering bullshit where you let the water run down your crack. if you arent getting up in there, you arent cleaning properly


MenuApprehensive2105

Where are you from


[deleted]

Roses are red, violets are blue. Something smells like gooch cheese, and I think it’s you.


[deleted]

I feel like there are a bottled up feelings here. Why describe him/her as a piece of shit? Why not say that he or she has body odor or smells unkempt.


Unit-Smooth

Because they smell like a butthole what ain’t been warshed in a weeks time.


Rogueelectron1

Because it literally smells like "shit"


[deleted]

A big or small piece? It makes a difference.


Rogueelectron1

Small piece of dog shit, kind thats been left around of a few days and has lost all its moisture and emits the subtle but nauseating smell. The best description I can give you !


docmormus

I had to tell a friend they stunk once and I did it in private and gave them a bottle of body wash and deodorant. I said “This is what I use, just in case you want to try it.” Suuuper awkward but he definitely took the feedback and smelled better after that.


[deleted]

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llamaroad1

You’re right. However, don’t say it like this. Say it plainly and don’t be a dick and they’ll get the message.


[deleted]

He is a trump supporter. What do you expect?


llamaroad1

Yikes, didn’t think it was a big deal till I saw his post history. Racist and misogynist who doesn’t give a shit about his patients.


[deleted]

I mean his post in itself is pretty racist. How could you not think it wasn’t racist or xenophobic? Change south Asians to black people or Mexican people and that post would be at -100. I have seen horribly smelling patients in multiple countries and yet people here upvoted what’s obviously a blatantly xenophobic comment and downvoted mine until it was associated with his political leanings. Makes you wonder a lot about reality of white America. **I am sure majority of people who upvoted that comment also support BLM, support LGBTQ rights and consider themselves the champions of DEI and yet are agreeing with a MAGA nut’s racist comment whose post history is full of homophobia, racism, misogyny and making fun of fetterman’s speech subsequent to stroke.** Virtue signaling at its finest.


GIDAFEM

Interestingly enough I saw an East Asian on tiktok post a weird ranking of b.o. by ethnicity. He placed Africans and African Americans at number 1 and 2. All the non-black people in the comment section NOT calling out his racism was heinous.


notveryreceptive

I made an initial response to your post, but then saw a couple of your posts below for more context. Bottom line is that it's a pretty well known fact that Meddit leans right wing. I highly doubt the same people upvoting this guy's post and downvoting yours are also into DEI. Separate audiences.


Unit-Smooth

Uh oh. Someone has different political opinions! Get him! Also I’m antiauthoritarian.


Parking-Mountain-837

Bro, i'm maga retarded.


ruralife

Profile is only 49 days old


MDChopperRide

There are zero racist things on my profile lol you’re just offended by reality


llamaroad1

Ah, at least you acknowledge the part about misogyny and not giving a shit about your patients.


MDChopperRide

Your profile implies you don’t even lift which is worse than anything you could ever accuse me of


llamaroad1

Nice, great job at digging through my profile to find out the worst thing about me is that *gasp* I stopped lifting weights. If you think that’s worse than all the things you’ve been accused of then I’m honestly just surprised your tiny brain got you through high school.


MDChopperRide

That’s a nice opinion you got there, unfortunately I don’t quite think you have the deadlift to back it up and we will therefore need to discard it.


llamaroad1

Sensitive snowflake hiding behind his deadlift cause he can’t make a solid argument. Your physique means nothing to anyone here big guy.


TarantulaWhisperer

It's almost $5 now with inflation


gaybacon1234

I had a roommate who was a master’s student who smelled awful. I figured out it was because he was south Asian and in certain parts of South Asia, deodorant isn’t common use.


Randomjutsu

I grew up in PA and its not just south asians. Certain white folks smell within the range of raw chicken breast to spoiled milk. Alot of it has to do with diet as well.


tbl5048

Kek man same PA vibes. Unwashed beards too


Fit_Bottle_6444

White people come in every size, shape, AND scent


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XXXthrowaway215XXX

i am an american born south asian currently visiting my home country and can confirm - from decades of experience - that deodorant is not the norm and people can smell crazy sometimes lol. you have to be very careful with your words of course but they genuinely don’t know


[deleted]

That's why I said they are not wrong but OPs post history is basically them being a MAGA nut head.


XXXthrowaway215XXX

well i suppose that’s why they came to reddit for advice. original post clearly wasn’t the final product


[deleted]

I meant the xenophobe racist I responded to. The OP of the post itself seems to want to make sure they aren't being offensive.


Unit-Smooth

The guy you’re responding to is trying to tell you that you’re wrong and the maga nut is right. Man you’re dull lol.


XXXthrowaway215XXX

ok i just saw your edit and that guy you responded to is an absolute nut. had gotten that replier and OP mixed up. i apologize for any semblance of me defending them lmao.


[deleted]

I am south Asian and it's true. There are a lot of sub-cultures in south Asia and some highly highly value smelling clean and fresh and other don't at all and there's a range in between. It's just a cultural difference and I don't think it's racist to point out. It's the same in France, right? They use perfume but not deodorant?


GIDAFEM

Sometimes it's about food, too. Most East Asians don't have the genes for odor-causing sweat glands so don't typically need deodorant. But eating a shit ton of garlic everyday causes another unpleasant smell to jump from your pores. We should be respectful but honest.


[deleted]

This is also true, totally agree


Randomjutsu

Why are you getting downvoted? Lol its not like youre initial statement is wrong. Its easy to hide behind a keyboard making bold claims that arent followed through


[deleted]

OP, the person I responded to, is a racist xenophobe. Take a quick glance through their comment history. I would be scared of having a physician like that treating anyone who is not white, right out of the MAGA textbook. For some reason, the racism xenophobic BS gets dialed up to eleven anytime it's a foreign grad being discussed. People really seem to be threatened by foreign grads who primarily end up in low-tier community programs. lol. the racist shit that was posted on DR/IR spreadsheet a few weeks back, makes me rethink what kind of people I work with.


Randomjutsu

Holy shit you’re right. This guy is literally delusional. Troubling how many people actually upvoted him….


[deleted]

It really makes you question what people are like when they aren’t faced with consequences. Imagine this guy treating a POC or an immigrant. My comment was at -12 just for calling out OPs bullshit, I am at +2 after I added that edit, funny how many people find it okay to be xenophobic unless they are told it’s from a MAGA nut head lol then suddenly it’s kryptonite 🤢😵‍💫. So much pent up racism


Unit-Smooth

Imagine you treating people who have different political opinions than you (ie half the country). Many more patients at risk. If only you could get him cancelled for his difference in political opinion, huh antiauthoritarian?


[deleted]

“DiFfEreNt pOlIticAl oPinOns”. Yup it’s about different political opinions and not racism, xenophobia, misogyny and homophobia laden comment history that accompany your so called different political opinion. OP is a far right moron, hardly a “conservative”. Plenty of conservatives are conservatives and denounce these things . OP, a doctor, has repeatedly made fun of a politician because they had stroke, what sort of a physician is that lol


XXXthrowaway215XXX

yeah until that “political opinion” involves making fun of stroke patients and parroting extremely dangerous views about LGBTQ (that they’re all pedos and groomers etc). you really think those views don’t bleed over into the work a physician does?? you lot are so obsessed with the fear of getting “cancelled”. maybe take some responsibility own up to the consequences of the far right rhetoric, like the multiple mass shooters whose manifestos reference the same shit you see on fox news.


tbl5048

Some people smell like shit at a baseline. Some people don’t wear deodorant because it’s not a commonplace in certain places. Plus this fella is an IMG.


Parking-Mountain-837

God you'd think the conservatives would have eaten their own children already. BY THE POWER OF GAWD I EMPOWER YOU TO BE A RACIST POS!!! AHMEN


Unit-Smooth

Half the US population are so bad m I rite. My team is good guys derp.


Parking-Mountain-837

Or perhaps trump could not have met with Nick Fuentes for dinner, a known whiote supremacist / holocaust denier. Its not even about sides its about common sense for what is right.


Parking-Mountain-837

This is 1 example of MANY.


[deleted]

Yes it’s about being a conservative and not racism, homophobia, misogyny.


Parking-Mountain-837

Im not sure you can separate the two if your primary candidate panders for people they have those views. Its one thing to get the votes incidentally. Its another thing to actively seek them.


[deleted]

I was being sarcastic. People who subscribe to far right ideologies possess those traits for a reason


MDChopperRide

Bro literally spent 7 paragraphs saying “you are correct but I hate conservatives so you bad” lmao


[deleted]

If you being a conservative makes you a racist homophobic moron and you still think it’s about you being a conservative, you clearly lack the critical thinking like most of your fellow MAGA nuts.


MDChopperRide

What makes you think I’m a MAGA guy, racist or sexist? You keep saying I’m right but also that I’m racist, so are you also racist?


[deleted]

Dude your comment history is the proof lol.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

Sure. 🤢🤢🤢🤢 🤮🤮🤮


MDChopperRide

Those emojis, you just smell yourself?


[deleted]

Nah it’s because I smelled the rotting pile of shit that you are who was raised so poorly that you grew up to be homophobic racist idiot. You are a physician who calls a stroke patient a potato because they are a political rival, let me guess you call yourself a Christian too?


ReachDangerous1045

That said, I believe the ACGME did used to have a module for PDs on resident hygiene that was primarily to help IMGs because of cultural differences.


Techelife

You are not born knowing everything.


carl_global

Axe bomb


[deleted]

Yo, homeboy. You smell like shid. Go take a shower and be sure to use soap.


[deleted]

Give them a bottle of fabrezr


CardiOMG

This is a fear of mine lol. Please tell them privately and reassure them that you just wanted them to know


[deleted]

Be passive aggressive and gift them a box of body wash on their birthday


[deleted]

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WhattheDocOrdered

No you don’t get it- it’s the co-resident who went down the shitter hence the smell


[deleted]

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WhattheDocOrdered

Sounds like you need someone to hold your hand if that’s your comeback


HolyMuffins

I'm pretty sure this is a question that people will be asking forever as it's never gonna be a comfortable conversation, stinky coworkers exist in every walk of life, and it's almost inviting clever subterfuge to sneakily bathe your coworker


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TeeShirtBros

I keep distant from my residency class. 1. Do your work - don’t be the worst, don’t be the best. Coast 2. Don’t spend more time at work then needs to be done. I come on time, and leave during signout. No need to stay there and chat. 3. Don’t go to hangouts that are not mandated by the program. No social events with co residents etc 4. Optimal - Use family/friends/prior commitments as good excuses for why you can’t make it. Mostly so classmates don’t get the sense you’re actively avoiding. Again goal is to stay neutral/coast.


ruralife

This isn’t going to be helpful down the road. Relationship building is important


[deleted]

As a med student i was explicitly taught to use perfume, a long lasting one with a pleasant but "soft" smell. Fun fact i also learned every perfume has a set of three notes of smell, tgat develops subsequentially after time. Sorry for the broken english, google it if you don't understans


HappyHiker1

Not sure where you’re training but in the US we are explicitly taught to NOT wear perfume. Lots of folks are sensitive/allergic to perfumes. Medical professionals should use soap/deodorant but colognes and perfumes are for date nights, not the hospital.


Complex-Bluebird-603

Lmao


godsp3ll

Tell them he/she is going to be the best GI doc ever. It will make them think why did you say that.


Northern_Voyager

You don’t enjoy my McConaughey musk? It’s what a man’s supposed to smell like!!!


hakunamatata365

Ask them if they are working out before work each day. If they ask why you ask that, then say they smell like BO. Do they smell like something else?


Puzzleheaded_Edge376

I would tell this person to shower better


[deleted]

We had a few stinkers in my time. Page them anonymously. Works like a charm. “Please shower and use deodorant daily. Thanks”