Hello! Fellow MD student here. At my university there is no accessible clinical skills lab of the sort, the only place where I can practice (so to speak) physical examination and physical maneuvers are with classmates. I recently had clinical rotations through ophtalmology and otorhinolaryngology (ENT), and even during those, I had very limited time to actually use both an otoscope as well as an ophtalmoscope. I will probably not have them accessible ever again, as they are limited to the areas of those specific services.
Now, I do want to master using both an ophtalmoscope as well as an otoscope, because I don't want to become inept at using them, if I ever needed to. I really, really just want to learn as much as I can and be a well-rounded physician. The ONLY way I can get to practice with them is to buy them... and that's the issue. My question branches out into three points, then:
1. Is it worth it for a medical student that is not aspiring towards ENT/ophtalmo/neuro to buy a regular diagnostic set?
2. Is it necessary for a regular physician to be good at using an ophtalmoscope/otoscope?
3. What do you think I should do, given the situation?
TL;DR: Last year medical student, have limited knowledge of otoscope/ophtalmoscope due to extremely low accessibility. Should I buy one for myself to practice and have for the future?
Now, I do want to master using both an ophtalmoscope as well as an otoscope, because I don't want to become inept at using them, if I ever needed to. I really, really just want to learn as much as I can and be a well-rounded physician. The ONLY way I can get to practice with them is to buy them... and that's the issue. My question branches out into three points, then:
1. Is it worth it for a medical student that is not aspiring towards ENT/ophtalmo/neuro to buy a regular diagnostic set?
2. Is it necessary for a regular physician to be good at using an ophtalmoscope/otoscope?
3. What do you think I should do, given the situation?
TL;DR: Last year medical student, have limited knowledge of otoscope/ophtalmoscope due to extremely low accessibility. Should I buy one for myself to practice and have for the future?
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