Dress Code and Professional Conduct

General Lab Dress Code Guidelines

Non-slip, closed-toe shoes or boots are required for all labs. Closed toe shoes should cover the entire foot.

Exposed jewelry, which may present a snag risk or impediment to hygiene should be removed for all labs where live animals are present and for all surgical skills labs.

Students must refer to individual course syllabi for other specific dress code information. All individual course syllabi will meet minimum dress code requirements, but may actually require a more prescriptive attire.

Students should observe the LMU-CVM Student Handbook’s guidelines on professional clothing.

Dress Code Designated per Building

In addition to adhering to general dress code policies as described in the LMU-CVM Student Handbook, please observe the following guidelines for each building at the DVTC.

Veterinary Student Center:

  • Students who are transiting the VSC while going to or coming from labs located on the DVTC campus are permitted to wear clean attire specific to those labs. Scrubs and coveralls that have been worn around live animals or cadaver tissue should not be worn in areas where human food is stored or consumed.
  • Upon return from laboratories, shoes/boots must be free of feces and/or other organic material prior to entering the building.

Veterinary Skills Center:

  • When working with any specimens including but not limited to cadaver tissue, students are to wear a buttoned lab coat with either scrubs OR professional clothing. Non-slip, fully enclosed, closed-toe shoes are required.
  • Students will follow all guidelines listed under Laboratory Safety and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the course syllabus.

Equine Stables:

  • When animals are present, students are to wear coveralls and non-slip rubber boots OR clean, professional clothing and appropriate closed-toed shoes that fully cover the foot.
  • Boots/shoes should be clean when entering labs and cleaned at the end of each lab if soiled.
  • When animals are not present, students are to wear clean, professional clothing and closed-toe shoes.
  • The Equine Stables are not climate controlled. Be prepared for weather changes that can occur at any time.
  • Students entering the stables while participating in a course or clinical skills laboratory will follow all guidelines listed in the course syllabus or posted on the course's online resource page (e.g. Canvas) with regard to clothing, safety, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Equine Teaching Center:

  • When animals are present, students are to wear coveralls and non-slip rubber boots OR clean, professional clothing and boots.
  • Boots/shoes should be clean when entering labs and cleaned at the end of each lab if soiled.
  • When animals are not present, students are to wear clean, professional clothing and closed-toe shoes.
  • Students entering the ETC while participating in a course or clinical skills laboratory will follow all guidelines listed in the course syllabus or posted on the course's online resource page (e.g. Canvas) with regard to clothing, safety, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Bovine Teaching Center:

  • When animals are present, students are to wear coveralls and rubber boots. Boots should be clean when entering lab and must be cleaned at the end of each lab.
  • When animals are not present, students are to wear clean, professional clothing and closed-toe shoes.
  • Students entering the BTC while participating in a course or clinical skills laboratory will follow all guidelines listed in the course syllabus or posted on the course's online resource page (e.g. Canvas) with regard to clothing, safety, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Small Animal Clinical Skills Center:

For Lecture:

  • Students are to wear clothing that meets Student Handbook guidelines.

For Lab:

  • In all labs, students are to wear either scrubs or professional attire. Additionally, students are to wear a buttoned lab coat and closed-toe shoes.
  • Students entering the SACSC while participating in a course or clinical skills laboratory will follow all guidelines listed in the course syllabus or posted onthe course's online resource page (e.g. Canvas) with regard to clothing, safety, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

If students are uncertain about what clothing to wear to lab, they are encouraged to adhere to more stringent guidelines (e.g. scrubs with a lab coat). Scrubs and coveralls that have been worn around live animals or cadaver tissue should not be worn in areas where human food is stored or consumed.

For Surgery:

  • Clean, washable (not leather), closed-toed shoes will be worn in surgery. Students will enter the building in their street shoes, then change into their clean shoes. After completing surgery, students will change back into street shoes before leaving the building.
  • Surgical scrubs (Only Green in color) will be worn in the OR by students, and will be worn in the Procedures room under a lab coat. Lab coats will be buttoned over scrubs at all times. Students will change into scrubs inside of the building and change out of them before leaving. If it is necessary to 

    walk between buildings at the DVTC, scrubs may be worn under a lab coat, but street shoes will be worn (remove clean shoes before walking in the parking lot).

Veterinary Education and Technology Building:

For Lecture:

  • Students are to wear clothing that meets Student Handbook guidelines.

For Lab:

  • In all labs, students are to wear either scrubs or professional attire. Additionally, students are to wear a buttoned lab coat and closed-toe shoes.
  • Students entering the SACSC while participating in a course or clinical skills laboratory will follow all guidelines listed in the course syllabus or posted onthe course's online resource page (e.g. Canvas) with regard to clothing, safety, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

If students are uncertain about what clothing to wear to lab, they are encouraged to adhere to more stringent guidelines (e.g. scrubs with a lab coat). Scrubs and coveralls that have been worn around live animals or cadaver tissue should not be worn in areas where human food is stored or consumed.

For Surgery:

  • Clean, washable (not leather), closed-toed shoes will be worn in surgery. Students will enter the building in their street shoes, then change into their clean shoes. After completing surgery, students will change back into street shoes before leaving the building.
  • Surgical scrubs (Only Green in color) will be worn in the OR by students, and will be worn in the Procedures room under a lab coat. Lab coats will be buttoned over scrubs at all times. Students will change into scrubs inside of the building and change out of them before leaving. If it is necessary to 

    walk between buildings at the DVTC, scrubs may be worn under a lab coat, but street shoes will be worn (remove clean shoes before walking in the parking lot).