And now for something completely trivial...

[artsydoc]

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I'm an M1. I want a pink stethoscope. I think it would make me very happy. Would I be looked down upon for having one when I start rotations and residency? Upon my honor, I'm not a troll, just someone who only just started school and still has the time and energy to think about these kinds of things.

 

[mlw03]

yes, you'd be looked down on. is it fair or logical, no? but neither is a lot of what you're going to see for the next 35 years.

 

[artsydoc]

Thank you for the honest reply; I had a feeling it wouldn't be sufficiently professional and am actually shelling out money to learn on a good one that I can use for many years. Still....how unfun...

 

[McGillGrad]

No one really cares about the colour of your stethoscope. Go for whatever makes you happy.

 

[cowme]

I'm an M1. I want a pink stethoscope. I think it would make me very happy. Would I be looked down upon for having one when I start rotations and residency? Upon my honor, I'm not a troll, just someone who only just started school and still has the time and energy to think about these kinds of things.

just to be clear... are you a woman? If so, then go for it....otherwise....ehhhh.....

 

[Smurfette]

Moving to Allopathic....

 

[Postal]

I was reading a blog somewhere on the internet that every one just usually gets grey or black

I, personally, want a red one

I hope I don't get funny looks for walking around with a red stethoscope.

 

[FunnyCurrent]

I'm an M1. I want a pink stethoscope. I think it would make me very happy. Would I be looked down upon for having one when I start rotations and residency? Upon my honor, I'm not a troll, just someone who only just started school and still has the time and energy to think about these kinds of things.

Look on the bright side. A (male) attending probably wouldn't "steal" it

 

[DrYoda]

I'm calling it now: you're going to be a pediatrician.

 

[Naquadria]

Haha I was just with an OB/GYN today who had an awesome pink stethoscope! She is like the head of the dept so clearly it didn't hinder her career much. I have a burgundy one (the sales ppl told me it was less likely to be mixed up with someone elses) and I like it. Then again I am pretty sure I will end up in some sort of pediatric sub specialty so take from that what you will.

 

[LRAccord624]

I was reading a blog somewhere on the internet that every one just usually gets grey or black

I, personally, want a red one

I hope I don't get funny looks for walking around with a red stethoscope.

I have a red/burgundy one and I love it. Several girls in my class have plum colored stethoscopes and a few guys have dark green. I swear if they had burnt orange ones over half my class would rush out to buy them. Thank goodness that's not the case

 

[isoquin]

Go for it. I mean if it is neon pink and blinds people you pass in the hallway, you may want something a bit darker pink, but just make sure it maintains a good acoustic quality. That should be your first priority, with color to come thereafter.

 

[Janedoedoctor]

I wish I'd tought of that sooner. Getting a pink stethoscope would stop my (male) collegues from 'borrowing' mine and dissappearing with it still in their pockets.

No, seriously, don't get a pink stethoscope as a med student. It will strike some attendings as rather unprofessional. Buy one when you're a resident/fellow.

(if you're a woman, that is. A hot pink stethoscope would be too much of a statement for a gay male)

 

[Bumbl3b33]

I wish I'd tought of that sooner. Getting a pink stethoscope would stop my (male) collegues from 'borrowing' mine and dissappearing with it still in their pockets.

No, seriously, don't get a pink stethoscope as a med student. It will strike some attendings as rather unprofessional. Buy one when you're a resident/fellow.

(if you're a woman, that is. A hot pink stethoscope would be too much of a statement for a gay male)

This has been insinuated in so many of the posts. I don't understand, are medical students and doctors really that judgmental of each other and/or borderline homophobic? I feel like as doctors who see gay/straight/homeless/drug addicts/criminals etc etc every day, the last thing you'd be judgmental about to someone, colleague or patient, would be the color of their equipment. I'm a very straight male and would have no problem/would love to have a pink stethoscope.

 

[2012mdc]

This has been insinuated in so many of the posts. I don't understand, are medical students and doctors really that judgmental of each other and/or borderline homophobic? I feel like as doctors who see gay/straight/homeless/drug addicts/criminals etc etc every day, the last thing you'd be judgmental about to someone, colleague or patient, would be the color of their equipment. I'm a very straight male and would have no problem/would love to have a pink stethoscope.

I'd venture that most people would have no real problem with it but medicine still has a good number of conservative people in some high places so it's just not worth the risk IMO.

You're also asking to get made fun of for the entirety of your surgery rotation (only half-joking)

 

[Janedoedoctor]

I was joking. Really, just joking. If a pink steth is want you have always dreamt of, by all means go ahead and get one. I'll borrow it, a lot...😍

 

[Geekchick921]

No one really cares about the colour of your stethoscope. Go for whatever makes you happy.

Ditto this. I wish I could get the Cardiology III in the raspberry tubing with rainbow finish like Littmann has one of their infant scopes. 😳 As it is, I'll probably just get it in plum, though Allheart has it in raspberry, too.

 

[theseeker4]

This has been insinuated in so many of the posts. I don't understand, are medical students and doctors really that judgmental of each other and/or borderline homophobic? I feel like as doctors who see gay/straight/homeless/drug addicts/criminals etc etc every day, the last thing you'd be judgmental about to someone, colleague or patient, would be the color of their equipment. I'm a very straight male and would have no problem/would love to have a pink stethoscope.

I would personally be more worried about patient's biases than those of fellow caregivers....

 

[DeadCactus]

Probably not advisable. It's not a big deal, but it kind of goes in the category of wearing scrubs with pretty prints. It's just giving people an excuse to label you as a "little girl" or confuse you with a nurse. Unfortunately, medicine has a pretty conservative dress code.

Then again, I wear a bow tie on occasion. I think you need a certain degree of a "f--k them" to stay sane in medicine...

 

[artsciencelove]

In reality, it only matters how well you can hear the patient's heart and lung sounds. But in our society, having a pink stethoscope as a male is sending the message "I AM GAY AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS!!" If you don't want to send that message, don't get a pink stethoscope. If you do, then more power to you.

 

[Lbgem]

Honestly don't think it matters. I had a department head that wore really funky ties all the time and we argued about the professionalism of it. He had a point though, he said if standard ties were required for people to respect him he had a bigger issue than what he was wearing.

You can wear whatever you want, but keep in mind going to an extreme will cause first impressions you may not want (fair or not) - think Legally Blonde in this case. I think a little color variation on a stethoscope isn't a big deal. Guy or girl. I've seen some guys pull off pink, and some fail at it. And yes there is a stereotype that pink on guy = gay, but it's not necessarily true, and chances are if you are a confident heterosexual male the color of your stethoscope isn't going to change people's opinion of your sexual orientation.

I think it could make an interesting conversation starter/icebreaker.

So OP, do what you want, but I'd keep in mind you probably don't want to go all out nuts with everything else (5 inch stiletto heels/animal print scrubs/etc). A little color on a stethoscope shouldn't make a difference. And I agree with some of the others in that it would make your stethoscope less prone to being stolen/easier to recover. How many people are going to check the tiny engraving on every possible suspect that could have stolen their scope, while you'd only have to look for the one bright pink scope that only you had.

My MS1 two cents.

 

[ArcGurren]

The person who makes fun of anyone for having a pink steth is like the jerk who points out when he can if a male colleague is wearing a pink shirt. Sure it happens but who gives a crap about those people. I think it's ridiculous if people judge on such superficial nonsense.

 

[PTPoeny]

I also think it is unfair that the rainbow head and bright colors only come on the infant stethoscopes.

Yes you will likely get some crap for having it. But some people are just looking for an excuse to give medical students crap. It will also be a conversation starter, so you also need to not be defensive about having a pink stethescope.

 

[Smurfette]

So OP, do what you want, but I'd keep in mind you probably don't want to go all out nuts with everything else (5 inch stiletto heels/animal print scrubs/etc). A little color on a stethoscope shouldn't make a difference. And I agree with some of the others in that it would make your stethoscope less prone to being stolen/easier to recover. How many people are going to check the tiny engraving on every possible suspect that could have stolen their scope, while you'd only have to look for the one bright pink scope that only you had.

My MS1 two cents.

Any med student who shows up wearing zebra print or leopard/cheetah print scrubs would definitely make an impression....it would certainly keep me amused for weeks.

FWIW, I have a blue stethoscope. And yes, I actually still use it as an attending.

 

[Geekchick921]

FWIW, I have a blue stethoscope. And yes, I actually still use it as an attending.

I bet no one even notices it. It just blends in with your skin tone. 🙂

 

[CodeBlu]

Any med student who shows up wearing zebra print or leopard/cheetah print scrubs would definitely make an impression....it would certainly keep me amused for weeks.

FWIW, I have a blue stethoscope. And yes, I actually still use it as an attending.

I need to get me one of those... to match my skin tone if and when I get accepted.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

Probably not advisable. It's not a big deal, but it kind of goes in the category of wearing scrubs with pretty prints. It's just giving people an excuse to label you as a "little girl" or confuse you with a nurse. Unfortunately, medicine has a pretty conservative dress code.

See the wearing bright color thread for my opinion of "look like a doctor, act a doctor, be treated like a doctor"... click here

As far as gay or bold female goes... If you have to ask, if you have to debate about something, it probably isn't something you should do. Is it WRONG for a gay male to have a pink stethoscope? No, of course not. Is it even a sign that you are a gay male if you have a pink stethoscope? No, of course not. But unless you really like pink, and I mean, you'd rather have pink on your shoulders than another person's respect, why bother with it? If you wear something so flamboyant (as a male or as a female pink is flamboyant in medicine) you ask people to make a mental calculation. They see you as different, and will treat you as different. And different is usually not good.

SHOULD you have to worry about other people's judgements? No.
DO you have to worry about other people's judgements? Yes.

I'm not talking about self esteem. I'm not talking about popularity. I'm talking about being effective. Classmates, residents, attendings, patients, nurses. Their opinion matters. What they think of you (in terms of being effective, in terms of getting things done) DOES matter. That is, of course, unless you're already in charge, then who cares.

Can you be effective as a bubbly girl with long golden curls, a push-up bra, a crap ton of makeup, a 3000 dollar bag, and a pink cardio III? Sure you can. But you better be ready to be judged the **** out of your entire way up the ladder.

Then again, I wear a bow tie on occasion. I think you need a certain degree of a "f--k them" to stay sane in medicine...

Bowties ARE professional. Even though I don't personally like wearing them, they are generally accepted as the tie equivalent. Unless you're a girl wearing one with a low cut blouse. Then you're sending a different message. AND they aren't a fomite.

 

[Smurfette]

I bet no one even notices it. It just blends in with your skin tone. 🙂

Oops. I forget about the blue references sometimes. I guess my having a blue steth would be obvious then. 🙂

 

[artsydoc]

perhaps my long golden curls and bubbly nature will get me in enough trouble then...btw, I think I'm going to pass on the pink and get plum.

 

[Elbowstoopointy]

I'm an M1. I want a pink stethoscope. I think it would make me very happy. Would I be looked down upon for having one when I start rotations and residency? Upon my honor, I'm not a troll, just someone who only just started school and still has the time and energy to think about these kinds of things.

M1's wearing a steth is considered trolling. Trolololol

 

[2012mdc]

M1's wearing a steth is considered trolling. Trolololol

We see patients during M1 thus we had steths.

 

[Funky]

I say go for it. It would look hot.😍

 

[C6789]

I have the plum colored Littmann. As an MS4, no one has commented once on the color of my stethoscope in 4 years.

If you want a pink one, go for it! After reading this thread and finding out that they now sell it in raspberry, I'm tempted to go pink for residency...🙂