Best Medical Bag

[kelaskov]

I'm looking for ideas on where to buy a nice doctor's bag for my fiancee (it's a gift). We are both first years and have bought our supplies (stethoscope, oto/opthalmoscopes, eye chart, blood pressure kit, etc.). Basically, I'm looking for a nice classic convenient bag to hold his medical equipment. I've checked out the traditional leather ones that you can find online at allheart.com and osteopathicequipment.com etc. but was wondering if ther are any other nice bags that may not be classified as "doctor bags" but can be used as such. I would prefer leather and am looking to spend up to $180. I've checked out the ones at forzieri.com and absolutely love them but they are way too expensive!! Any/all advice appreciated. Thanks!!

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[bnichols0330]

In my opinion, the best medical bag is probably a nice labcoat with lots of pockets. A medical bag is good for storing your equipment in, but the reality of the situation is it's not very practical for clinical use. This may be different at other institutions, but I know I have NEVER seen a single student bringing their equipment to a clinic or hospital. It may be nice to have a good bag to store the equipment in, but as for having a nice bag to carry your stuff with you is probably a little overkill.

 

[sacrament]

In four years now of medical training I'm not sure I've ever seen a doctor actually carry a doctor's bag.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

I purchased one and never used. It collects dust in my garage.

 

[Megalofyia]

I got this really awsome $3 purse bag thing in Mexico. It's bright yellow and there's no question that it's mine. That's what I use to store my stuff... but when I do my stuff at the clinic I just stuff what I need that day in my pockets of my coat.

 

[kelaskov]

Thanks for your responses. He's really practical so it sounds like I'll be passing on the traditional med bag. Thanks again for your help.

 

[SLUser11]

Thanks for your responses. He's really practical so it sounds like I'll be passing on the traditional med bag. Thanks again for your help.

I don't know if you NEED a bag (unless you're a Neurologist), but there's nothing wrong with wanting one, especially if you've already shelled out the big bucks for all of your doctor accessories (might as well have something good-looking to store them in). You don't need an ophthalmoscope or BP cuff either, but I bet most of the people who responded to your post bought them as MS1s, too. I don't have any of these fun toys, but if I did I would graciously accept an old-school doctor bag to keep them in.


It's perfectly OK to be excited about becoming a doctor, and to present a loved one with a SYMBOLIC although not especially useful gift. Unfortunately, it is our SDN tendency to laugh at/point out the wrongness of any naivety. I'm more guilty of this than most....still...I say just buy the bag...especially if you've got $200 laying around.

 

[SLUser11]

Thanks for your responses. He's really practical so it sounds like I'll be passing on the traditional med bag. Thanks again for your help.

I don't know if you NEED a bag (unless you're a Neurologist), but there's nothing wrong with wanting one, especially if you've already shelled out the big bucks for all of your doctor accessories (might as well have something good-looking to store them in). You don't need an ophthalmoscope or BP cuff either, but I bet most of the people who responded to your post bought them as MS1s, too. I don't have any of these fun toys, but if I did I would graciously accept an old-school doctor bag to keep them in.


It's perfectly OK to be excited about becoming a doctor, and to present a loved one with a SYMBOLIC although not especially useful gift. Unfortunately, it is our SDN tendency to laugh at/point out the wrongness of any naivety. I'm more guilty of this than most....still...I say just buy the bag...especially if you've got $200 laying around.

 

[SLUser11]

😳 Saw the "just but it" as I was submitting and tried to stop it....not in time it seems.

 

[sacrament]

I don't know if you NEED a bag (unless you're a Neurologist), but there's nothing wrong with wanting one, especially if you've already shelled out the big bucks for all of your doctor accessories (might as well have something good-looking to store them in). You don't need an ophthalmoscope or BP cuff either, but I bet most of the people who responded to your post bought them as MS1s, too. I don't have any of these fun toys, but if I did I would graciously accept an old-school doctor bag to keep them in.


It's perfectly OK to be excited about becoming a doctor, and to present a loved one with a SYMBOLIC although not especially useful gift. Unfortunately, it is our SDN tendency to laugh at/point out the wrongness of any naivety. I'm more guilty of this than most....still...I say just buy the bag...especially if you've got $200 laying around.

This is true enough. My initial inclination is to laugh at anybody who wants a medical bag, but hell, I would have loved to get one as a first year. And I too bought that goddamn expensive opthalmoscope that I never, ever used. That's just part of the deflowering process.

 

[Megalofyia]

I refuse to buy a bp cuff.. I've never walked into a hospital or clinic where there wasn't one available. I am sad that I did buy an opthalmoscope but maybe when I go to Mexico with my dad I'll insist that I look in everyone's eyes, ears, nose, and throats.
I do wish I had bought the pocket one which I had intended to do but it didn't look like an option on the list I had (I bought the smallest cheapest on on my list of options). 🙁

 

[Rendar5]

I had to get a BP cuff, bah. Got a nice junky one that i won't use. Only med equipment i splurged instead of getting the minimal functional version is my steth🙂

go to allheart.com or someplace like that for a medical bag if u wanna get a nice one.

 

[Agent Splat]

I bought a TV instead of more school stuff. I'm much happier watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force Season 3 DVD on my nice new TV.

Why does the ophthalmoscope thing always come up? Where did this strange push for students to be buying their own come from? From here I can tell it seems like an overly useless thing to buy right now.

Does a med student ever come across a situation where they really need their own?

 

[Rendar5]

well, the other day, I was walking around w/ my pocket ophthalmoscope in, of all places, my pocket. and I came across some guy on the subway train complaining about his eye. So I whipped my scope out, and looked in his eye and saw a detached retina. Thanksfully, because my medical school required me to get one of my own, i was able to tell that guy to go to the hospital stat.

 

[funkless]

I haven't purchased anything exorbitant, accessory or instrument-wise. I didn't even spring for a tuning fork.

I do, however, have a beautiful crocodile-skin doctor's bag that was handed down from my grandfather to my father, and from my father to me (third generation in the profession). It's the only doctor's bag I ever intend to have, since not many (if any) doctors use them anymore.