Stethoscope advice?

[westcoastgirl]

Hi all,

I'm starting my medicine internship in June, and my family is buying me a new stethoscope for graduation. Any advice on a good, solid stethoscope for a person going into primary care? No cards fellowship for me There are many, many options, and I have no idea what's good, not good, etc.

Thanks!

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[flumazenil]

litman cardiology III...

 

[Danbo1957]

There should be a medical supply store near you, you can go try them out and get some detailed info from the salesperson. There are several types and to several brands to choose from, and price vary.

I use the Littmann Cardiology III (around $130 new).

 

[gutonc]

Hi all,

I'm starting my medicine internship in June, and my family is buying me a new stethoscope for graduation. Any advice on a good, solid stethoscope for a person going into primary care? No cards fellowship for me There are many, many options, and I have no idea what's good, not good, etc.

Do you not currently have a stethoscope as a med student about to start internship? Not that you shouldn't get a new one, just that you should have some idea of what is good and bad in the scope you have and what you want to change about it.

Here's my response to a similar thread in a different forum:

When I need to hear everyone in the room talking while I'm trying to auscultate heart sounds, I borrow somebody's Littman. When I want to hear the heart sounds, I use my Harvey DLX.

If you get a Harvey, be sure to get the DLX as the Elite has a normal size/weight head but the DLX head is solid stainless steel and not only has superior acoustics but can be used as a truncheon if patients get out of hand.

 

[chameleonknight]

I have the Cardio III and I'm not wild about it. It's not bad, but I think my friends with the Harvey are happier.

 

[Strength&Speed]

you'd be amazed how much you can hear just putting your ear to the chest

 

[orientedtoself]

just remember to decontaminate your ear when you're in a contact precautions room.


i have a new littmann master cardiology. i like it better than my littman cardiology iii which i have had since med school. i feel like i can hear better.

 

[Hernandez]

Go try a few on, personally my DRG Cardio works far better for me than the Littman Cario series despite many of my friends and classmates hating their DRG. I've heard nothing but good things about the Harvey Elite and will probably buy one to try out as my backup stethoscope. Or if you wanna go all out and get one of the fancy Sprauge's you could do that, if you could even find one.

 

[buckley]

I remain loyal to my Littman Classic II. It's not the best for hearing cardiac murmurs, but if you're really going for primary care, where you would be expected to listen to murmurs, fetal heart tones, breath sounds and bowel sounds, I think it's the most versatile, not to mention affordable.

 

[gutonc]

I remain loyal to my Littman Classic II. It's not the best for hearing cardiac murmurs, but if you're really going for primary care, where you would be expected to listen to murmurs, fetal heart tones, breath sounds and bowel sounds, I think it's the most versatile, not to mention affordable.

But you're going into Neuro, right? The Littman Classic is a crap reflex hammer. I can elicit better reflexes w/ my Harvey DLX than I can w/ my Queen's Square hammer.

 

[pseudoknot]

If you get a Harvey, be sure to get the DLX as the Elite has a normal size/weight head but the DLX head is solid stainless steel and not only has superior acoustics but can be used as a truncheon if patients get out of hand.

Actually, the Elite has a stainless steel head and the DLX is brass. I have an Elite and like it but then I'm not a great judge at this point.

 

[buckley]

But you're going into Neuro, right? The Littman Classic is a crap reflex hammer. I can elicit better reflexes w/ my Harvey DLX than I can w/ my Queen's Square hammer.

I hate doctors who use their stethoscopes...it hurts or maybe you have a technique to it?
I just use the regular rubber hammer and get along just fiiiiiiine. I use the tip to elicit the babinski reflex...I hate using ballpens. Ugh