If you work in a medical, dental, or veterinary office, you are probably expected to wear scrubs to work. This can be really nice since you don't really have to decide what to wear in the morning or what clothing is appropriate. However, there are some intricacies to choosing and buying scrubs. Here are a few tips that will help you get better scrubs and also save some money in the process.

Buy from a company that offers discounts for members of organizations you belong to.

Do you belong to a professional organization such as the ADA or AMA? Look for a scrubs company that offers discounts for members of your organization. Many companies do offer these discounts. It might be a flat 5% off, or you might save $5 a pair. This may not seem like a lot, but it adds up over your career, so it's worth looking for discounts.

Buy scrubs made from thicker, sturdier material.

Many of the cheapest scrubs are made from really thin material that is likely to shrink after a few washes and may also allow darker underwear to show through. Neither of these things is ideal. So make sure you check the material before buying a pair of scrubs. It should feel substantial between your fingers and all of the stitching should be made from thick, sturdy thread.

Look for stain-resistant material.

Always check that the material you are buying is stain-resistant. This will make your life so much easier since you won't have to spend your evening scrubbing bloodstains, sweat stains, and other stains out of your scrubs. Many scrubs are treated with a special coating that allows the material to resist stain formation. You may have to apply this coating every month or every few months, and you can buy spray cans of stain-resistant coating from most scrub companies.

Size up, not down.

If you are between sizes, always size up rather than down when buying scrubs. Since they have bands around the waist, nobody will really be able to tell if your scrubs are a little larger than they need to be. However, they will be able to tell if your scrubs are too small. And you won't be comfortable in too-small scrubs, either.

If you follow the tips above when buying medical scrubs, you should be in good shape. Once you find a type of scrubs you love, you can buy pair after pair.