10 Medical Tattoo Ideas for Healthcare Professionals and Enthusiasts

Ramon Llorensi / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND

Currently, there are 44 million people in the US who have one or more tattoos. That's one in every seven people! If you're one of them, and you're struggling to come up with an idea you love for your next inking session, we can help you out.

For all of you healthcare professionals and modern medicine lovers out there, we've done some research and found the ten coolest medical tattoo ideas. Whether you're looking for a way to express yourself, your love for the job, or simply invest in a life-saving medical alert tattoo, we've got you covered.

1. Saving Lives for a Living? Share the News

If you're really proud with your career choice, why not get a tattoo to express your love for the job? Images of doctors, nurses and medics are universally recognizable and can help people in need identify you and your skills in emergency situations. Put your own twist on this idea, by choosing a medical character that shows off your personality.

Cherrie Dragon Tattoos / CherrieDragon / CC BY

2. Express Your Passion for All Things Medicine

Medicine is a passion, so it's no wonder that a lot of healthcare professionals get tattoos relevant to their field of practice. Take the tattoo below. A diagram of the heart, or any other organ for that matter, is certainly a nice way to display your passion for all things medical.

Tiffani Bradbury / Pinterest / CC BY

3. Love Your Body Inside and Out?

Show people what you're made of... literally. Quite a few people are getting on board this concept, showing the muscles of different body parts. Just be warned, some people may not like what they see, so some discretion is advised. This is also a great way to pass your anatomy exams if you're still in school (joking).

Alli Ovalle / Pinterest / CC BY

4. Small Tattoo Ideas With Deep Meaning

No need to go for something big and up-in-your-face. You can go small (and discreet) and get a tattoo that's simply a personal self-expression. All that matters is what it means to you. Here's an example of a clever EKG tattoo.

Christine Coulter / Pinterest / CC BY

5. Medical Alert Tattoos: Diabetics

As a large portion of the US suffers from diabetes, tattoos like the one below are not a rare sight. Check out this medical alert tattoo, which has a great pinch of style.

Nurseslabs / Nurseslabs / CC BY

6. Medical Alert Tattoos: Proper Drug Treatment

In the event of an emergency, tattoos are a surprisingly effective way to save your life. If you're in no state to offer assistance to the people trying to help you, let your tattoos speak for you.

Julie Worsnop / Pinterest / CC BY

7. Medical Alert Tattoos: All Your GP Needs to Know

You can even take it to the next level, and be prepared for anything that comes your way. Why not get a tattoo with a brief summary of your medical record?

Jackalope Tattoo / Twitter / CC BY

8. Cosmetic Tattoos

Another reason to get inked is to help your body look and feel normal after medical treatments, such as a mastectomy, or simply to cut out some of your daily grooming time. Permanent make-up and tattooed eyebrows are another popular choice.

Francesca Coady / Twitter / CC BY

9. Who Needs a Medic?

This tattoo idea is for all you medics out there. Let's not forget that professional medical treatment is not exclusive to the hospital environment.

DS Art / dsart.com / CC BY

10. "Tattooed and Employed"

Don't forget that in the healthcare field, you represent a certain institution whose professional image you have to maintain.

Supporttattoosandpiercingsatwork / Flickr / CC BY

There are certain rules about tattoos in the workplace along with hospital appearance policies, which you might want to consider before getting inked.