How to choose equipment?

[AndyEmmDee]

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So I've got my Introduction to Clinical Medicine class starting soon, (where they teach you physical exam skills, history taking etc), and it's required of us to purchase an Otoscope/Ophthalmoscope and a Stethoscope.

My problem is that there are too many choices! I'm gonna buy my equipment online, but don't know how to go about choosing amongst all of the available brands/types etc (particularly for the otoscopes/ophthalmoscopes).

Can anyone give me advice on how to go about selecting the appropriate equipment?

 

[njbmd]

Forget about purchasing new equipment on line and check around your school for any upperclassmen who want to sell their equipment. Many times the folks who are going into orthopedic surgery (or general surgery) will be willing to see their slightly used diagnostic sets for much less than purchasing an on line new set.

One of my classmates was able to purchase a slightly used Pan-optic scope for less than $250 on eBay (ortho resident). Look at what's out there on eBay after you go to some of the websites like Welch Allyn and figure out what you might want.

If you have plenty of money to unload then by all means, get new equipment but you will likely find that after this class is over, you won't be using this stuff very much. I shared the cost of a diagnostic set with a student that was one year ahead of me. When she graduated, I paid a bit less than her half of the cost of the set and now I own it. We both purchased out set on eBay in the the first place. It's a Welch Allyn diagnostic set that uses either rechargeable battery or C batteries. Total cost for me and her was $150.

 

[xanthomondo]

I agree with njbmd about the diagnostic set (although I searched for weeks and could never find a deal that good on eBay).

I would get a nice stethocope, though. I used medisave.net and had awesome service. A brand new, engraved (on the bell, not the rubber) Cardio III was shipped and on my door within 48 hours of submitting the order. Total cost including shipping was $150 (engraving was free).

 

[MilkmanAl]

Chances are pretty good you won't need the oto/ophthalmoscope at all. Make sure you check with older students before buying one. Like xantho said, pick up a nice steth. You'll use it all the time, and it'll last you for years. Hell, mine came with a 10-year warranty.

 

[Jolie South]

Chances are pretty good you won't need the oto/ophthalmoscope at all. Make sure you check with older students before buying one. Like xantho said, pick up a nice steth. You'll use it all the time, and it'll last you for years. Hell, mine came with a 10-year warranty.

Depends on where you are. At my county hospital, it's hard to find oto/ophthalmoscopes on the wards sometimes. If I don't have mine, I don't do eye/ear exams.

 

[Bacchus]

By all means try to find used equipment. Also, try out the opthalmoscope before you buy it. I had to return mine and get the PanOptic because I physicially could not use my right eye to see out of it (and using the left was out of the question because kissing the patient isn't recommended/condoned).

I was fortunate enough to be gifted a Cardio III by a state agency, so I don't feel too bad about getting the Pan Optic.