Medical Equipment

[sel89]

Does the class typically order supplies as a group to get discounts, or do people purchase their equipment individually?

 

I was looking on the McGill bookstore website, and apparently they don't sell stethoscopes based on their online catalogue.

[Arztin]

You'll find out at the beginning of med1. They do a group order. You basically only need to buy a stethoscope. Even a BF cuff wouldnt really be considered as mandatory.

[bellejolie]

this is really good to hear! stethoscope you can get from Littman - though they are known to be expensive i think - but told my parents its the only gift i wanted haha. 

[sel89]

Was the group order last year for the Cardiology IV? I think a lot of people still use older models, but would likely be best to get most up-to-date model even if its a bit more expensive.

[ilikecake]

Was the group order last year for the Cardiology IV? I think a lot of people still use older models, but would likely be best to get most up-to-date model even if its a bit more expensive.

 

 

Two different companies came to present their products to us, and each provided a catalog to chose products from. You can pick whichever stethoscope you prefer, from the most basic model to Cardiology IV, depending on budget/preference. That being said, many people bought their own

stethoscopes online, you don't have to order as a group.

Hope this helps! 

[Arztin]

Seriously, unless if you go in cardiology, it doesn't make too much of a difference. No need for an electronic one unless if you have a hearing peoblem. Otherwise, a cheaper SE 2 or classic 2 would do. I bet most people will end up buying the cardiology 4 anyways.

[Arztin]

Was the group order last year for the Cardiology IV? I think a lot of people still use older models, but would likely be best to get most up-to-date model even if its a bit more expensive.

They group order but you pick what you want. You'll get to pick the model and the color you want even if it's not the cardiology4. Ah, don't think about it now:p enjoy your summer

[Sceptical]

I'm still using my Cardiology III, but tbh, the II series sounds more or less the same to me. I also got myself a reflex hammer, because the Taylor/Tomahawks that are handed out as swag don't have the right weight to me. All online purchases. You don't really need any other equipment (despite the companies trying to 'convince' you otherwise). 

 

Sceptical

[sel89]

I'm still using my Cardiology III, but tbh, the II series sounds more or less the same to me. I also got myself a reflex hammer, because the Taylor/Tomahawks that are handed out as swag don't have the right weight to me. All online purchases. You don't really need any other equipment (despite the companies trying to 'convince' you otherwise). 

 

Sceptical

What model of reflex hammer did you end up buying online?

[Sceptical]

What model of reflex hammer did you end up buying online?

I got myself a Tromner because I like heavier hammers. It's somewhat less portable though (doesn't quite fit in the white coat pockets).

 

Sceptical

[snazij]

I got a Littman for a Christmas present one year. Would it be weird if I just used the one that I already have instead of ordering it with the group? i wanna fit in with the crowd...

[Vie]

I got a Littman for a Christmas present one year. Would it be weird if I just used the one that I already have instead of ordering it with the group? i wanna fit in with the crowd...

I am only one person and can't speak for the entire group, but I doubt that I'll be alone in saying that it 100% wouldn't be weird. People might notice that you didn't get your calculator from the bookstore in freshie science classes, but if it works, I doubt that they're going to care - seems like a similar principle here. If I already owned a stethoscope, though, (especially if it were any other Littmann, which are all good quality) you can bet that I wouldn't be picking up a new one.

 

I'm stuck between getting Cardiology so that I don't have to buy a new one for the next 20 years regardless of what field I go into (maybe hearts are my one true passion) and grabbing a standard because that's all I need right now and a) I could fall deeply in love with a field that doesn't use one b ) it could be lost/stolen and I'll have to replace it or c) 3 years from now, traditional stethoscopes could be obsolete. Who knows? I'll probably decide based on what kind of sales I find over the course of the summer - maybe it'll end up being a Welch Allyn.

[McGillMedAmbassadors]

I got a Littman for a Christmas present one year. Would it be weird if I just used the one that I already have instead of ordering it with the group? i wanna fit in with the crowd...

 

Honestly it really doesn't matter much. Generally as long as you have something that looks like a stethoscope hanging around your neck you're fine. 

[rmorelan]

Seriously, unless if you go in cardiology, it doesn't make too much of a difference. No need for an electronic one unless if you have a hearing peoblem. Otherwise, a cheaper SE 2 or classic 2 would do. I bet most people will end up buying the cardiology 4 anyways.

 

although if you have a bit of hearing problem (I do) I found the electronic ones are very useful.

 

attending - "hear that faint split S2 sound?"

 

me - "you mean the extremely loud noise corrected split s2 sound?"

 

attending - ".....what?"

 

me - "here let me upload it to my phone so everyone can hear......run the analysis software on it to validate it...."

 

(how to not make friends on cardiology rounds ) 

[feversugar]

My mom's a nurse and she gave me a hand me down Classic II for medical school and I didn't feel like I had any disadvantage... Granted I never cared much for cardiology/internal so I didn't need to use it much during non-core clerkship!