Pagers

[SteveUTexas]

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In about 5 weeks I will be starting clinical rotations and I have to get a pager. My school, Baylor, does not provide one for me. Do most schools provide pagers for their clinical students? If your school did not provide you with a pager did your class organize some sort of group deal with a private company or did you just go out and get your own? Also is a numeric pager sufficient or do you need a text based pager at most hospitals?

 

[deleted109597]

We had to go to a local pager store.
They had one model, in a glass case with crushed velvet in it.

They also sold gold chains.

There was no group buy, but it was about $110 for the year.

 

[Blade28]

Our med school provided the pagers.

 

[Bertelman]

We had to provide our own. In our area, I found that the alphanumerics got slightly better service, and people with these had fewer problems with dropped pages and illegible pages.

 

[MossPoh]

You'd think by now they'd get over this whole pager thing. I realize that cell phones aren't perfect but they have a page function most of the time too....

 

[beefballs]

we have to buy Pda's as well for rotations, which blows goats

 

[Gut Shot]

You'd think by now they'd get over this whole pager thing. I realize that cell phones aren't perfect but they have a page function most of the time too....

My current rotation keeps me buried so deeply in the hospital that I have to walk up a flight of stairs and exit the building in order to get cell service. Pagers aren't perfect but they're certainly tried and true. I can't imagine relying on cell phones in a time of emergency, either.

 

[Gut Shot]

Also is a numeric pager sufficient or do you need a text based pager at most hospitals?

Numeric is fine. I had a text pager in med school (group buy by my class) and the only text messages I ever received were from friends regarding trivial matters. If something is work related, the person trying to contact you will want to speak with you.

 

[beefballs]

thanks for the info cheese devil

 

[TexasRose]

In about 5 weeks I will be starting clinical rotations and I have to get a pager. My school, Baylor, does not provide one for me. Do most schools provide pagers for their clinical students? If your school did not provide you with a pager did your class organize some sort of group deal with a private company or did you just go out and get your own? Also is a numeric pager sufficient or do you need a text based pager at most hospitals?

A classmate of ours bought a bunch of pagers on ebay and had them refurbished. (or whatever you call it) They aren't pretty, but they only cost us $10! Ask an upperclassman for the name of the pager store, I can't remember it. I wouldn't invest major money in the pager, especially since your residency program may provide one for you in a few years. You'll use the pager on some busy services, but other months you won't use it at all. Voicemail sometimes handy but not necessary.