I miss those days when I was a Biotechnology student,wearing AIMST lab coat, walked around the lab and busying with my lab works.Although we wore the same coat as MBBS, pharmacy and faundation students,but for Biotech students,we ONLY wear the lab coats when we are in the LABORATORY.This is because for us, lab coat is the major part of our PPE aka Personal Protective Equipments, that protect us from chemicals and level 1-2 biohazards. Therefore,we DO NOT wear it outside the lab.
One thing that I could not tolerate during my university time was seeing the students walking around the cafeteria with their lab coat on.Gosh,what are they trying to show?The weather was hot and that was during tea time/ lunch time and they are hanging around with the lab coat on?!Are they trying to bring all those contamination from the lab to the environment? Can you imagine that while the guy was taking rice,those E.coli,Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus or some fungi that attached on his coat dropped into the rice container at the same time? You might argue that most of the microorganism strains and chemicals that were used in a university lab is non-hazardous so why am I complaint about this ?
From the point of view of a future scientist, self-discipline is an essential for future scientific research works!If one do not have such awareness from student time, what will happen when they conduct the experiments with higher risks in future? In addition, most of the students in my university are those who are going to expose in the environment that is full of infectious virus which can cause fatal.And yet,they still walk around with the lab coat outside the working places! Don`t they have the awareness? This phenomenon is not only seen among the students but also the lecturers,professors and even the professionals! Is it really that important to show the identity through the lab coat when one is not at his/her working place? My question is, environmental safety is more important or showing identity through the white coat,that suppose to act as PPE?
Rethink about it.And for those AIMSTers,do not feel offended as you read this post.As I know this might cause uncomfortable in some of you but I`m just pointing out the fact.I think this phenomenon should be noted and the use of lab coat should only be restricted at the working places.To become a professionals you have to have this kind of discipline because a small detail that we missed can sometimes cause some unsolvable problems.
Anyway.I suddenly feel like want to wear my uni`s lab coat tonight.It`s been a while since I last wore it and I knew won`t have much chance to wear a lab coat with such design.As you know,working in an animal lab has different design of lab coat that suits our daily works better and their design is totally different from the one I used to wear during my uni time.That`s why I took some pictures for myself on the lab coat =) It will be in a clean plastic bag for a long time until I feel like want to take it out and recall my uni times.Oh,by the way,I miss those time during my final years,when I worked day and night in order to complete my works.I had a wonderful time with my batch mates,seniors and also PCR!
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