Microscope

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Cica

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Hey

I was wondering where I can buy an affordable and good microscope for home use.

Thanks in advance.

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Depends on what you're doing and why you're doing it at home.
 
Depends on what you're doing and why you're doing it at home.

I was considering looking at slide collection at home for self learning purposes and maybe look at the histo from autopsies.
 
If you're really serious, then I'd consider getting the "best" one you can afford -- which can get pretty expensive pretty quickly. The reality is that you probably need to be reviewing any cases on a quality scope, not a recycled med school class scope, and that's probably only going to be at the office. I don't know anyone who has and uses a home scope, unless they're consultants with a home office. I know several attendings who have their own scopes...just, kept at the office. I've -heard- of a few people who do, though.

Personally I think it's a good thing to keep work at work. But, for those who can take slides home (case slides you probably wouldn't be allowed to, if you asked the department; but study sets perhaps) and really want to at least glance them over and get some idea of what they're looking at or doing, old but adequately functioning histology/biology class scopes can sometimes be found for a manageable price, and lower quality scopes (usually unrecognized brands) of dubious utility. Just pay attention to what you're getting -- no sense getting one with the wrong magnification, etc.
 
Agree, there are probably few instances where you will be able to take slides home. Patient material, definitely not. I personally would never allow anyone to take any of my study sets home. I'd also be surprised if residency programs allowed this.

The "home microscope" thing sounds like a good idea, but very few people actually do it. During residency I was on the microscope more than enough during work hours.
 
There are more and more study materials based on virtual slides that you can access over the web (PathXchange and the USCAP website come to mind). With this kind of resources, no need for a home scope to review study sets.

One application where a home scope might make sense would be for research (scoring research slides or something), but again--the scopes at the office are going to be much better than what you can afford, and you might as well leave this kind of work for work.
 
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