Stethoscope for shadowing

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doctorinthehouse_

doctorinthehouse_

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hey guys! So I have been shadowing a DO for almost 2 years and almost every day I shadow (1 day per week) either the attending or a resident has me use their stethoscope to listen for something. My dad found a litmann a couple of years ago at an old office he moved into and gave me the stethoscope as a gift. Would it be appropriate for me to bring that to clinic to use instead of borrowing their's every time? PS I'm an accepted medical student so I'm not just a "poser" pre-Med. Thanks for the input in advance!
 
I am a cardiac intensive care and emergency department nurse so i have lots of experience with them. A great all around stethoscope would be be the Littmann Cariology III. I know it is not a cheap investment but it will last you all the way through medical school.

The reasons for this stethoscope are simple:
1: Great sound quality for listening to the fine pitch changes and noticing the little things.
2. Can be used for both adults and peds, no need for a second stethoscope.
3. Quality, this will last the test of time and being thrown around.
4. Con- a little on the heavy side.

Here is a link to the amazon page: Amazon product ASIN B004QEZ2U4
Although this is what I recommend, please do your own research and go to a store and see which one you like most! I have this stethoscope and the Littmann Master Cardiology (which I used more for getting behind patients backs and into tighter quarters) but would recommend the Cardiology III for medical school. Good Luck!
 
NurseCapitanKirk said:
I am a cardiac intensive care and emergency department nurse so i have lots of experience with them. A great all around stethoscope would be be the Littmann Cariology III. I know it is not a cheap investment but it will last you all the way through medical school.

The reasons for this stethoscope are simple:
1: Great sound quality for listening to the fine pitch changes and noticing the little things.
2. Can be used for both adults and peds, no need for a second stethoscope.
3. Quality, this will last the test of time and being thrown around.
4. Con- a little on the heavy side.

Here is a link to the amazon page: Amazon product ASIN B004QEZ2U4
Although this is what I recommend, please do your own research and go to a store and see which one you like most! I have this stethoscope and the Littmann Master Cardiology (which I used more for getting behind patients backs and into tighter quarters) but would recommend the Cardiology III for medical school. Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Um, I think OP was asking whether they should bring a stethoscope with them to shadow, not which one to buy.

OP, I think you should either just not bring one or ask the person you're shadowing what they think. I would guess that they'll say it's not necessary (in which case you shouldn't) but maybe they'll say yes. I wouldn't bring it before asking though.
 
FCMike11 said:
Hrm.....why keep shadowing if you are accepted?
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Because I love learning, and it's a great relationship to have as it is where I potentially would like to do my residency. I didn't put things on my application just to get accepted lol, I do them to learn and better myself.
 
Thank you for everyone's input! I'll ask the doctor 🙂
 
doctorinthehouse_ said:
Because I love learning, and it's a great relationship to have as it is where I potentially would like to do my residency. I didn't put things on my application just to get accepted lol, I do them to learn and better myself.
Click to expand...

I got you. I've been a nurse for 5 years and shadowing just feels meh to me, unfortunately. I enjoy my PCP's company but I feel so absolutely useless and time moves incredibly slow.
 
WedgeDawg said:
You shadow a lot in medical school too. It's not something that stops being useful. It actually becomes more useful the more you know about what's going on.
Click to expand...

Didn't mean to insinuate I knew everything. I just feel so useless and time drags.
 
FCMike11 said:
I got you. I've been a nurse for 5 years and shadowing just feels meh to me, unfortunately. I enjoy my PCP's company but I feel so absolutely useless and time moves incredibly slow.
Click to expand...

Well I shadow at a very exciting clinic filled with really interesting cases. I'm constantly on the go, I've seen patients on my own and presented to my attending. You may want to broaden your shadowing experiences, and pick the ones you like. It's not a good sign if you aren't enjoying shadowing. It's basically the most exciting part of my week. Best of luck to you.
 
FCMike11 said:
Didn't mean to insinuate I knew everything. I just feel so useless and time drags.
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Feel the same way. I tell my doctor Im aware I don't know everything but its at the point where I'm not going to learn much more from shadowing. He agrees haha
 
doctorinthehouse_ said:
Well I shadow at a very exciting clinic filled with really interesting cases. I'm constantly on the go, I've seen patients on my own and presented to my attending. You may want to broaden your shadowing experiences, and pick the ones you like. It's not a good sign if you aren't enjoying shadowing. It's basically the most exciting part of my week. Best of luck to you.
Click to expand...
You have seen your own patients? I hope the attending is seeing the patients you are seeing as well! Lol. I don't think it's a bad sign if you don't enjoy shadowing. Personally, I get bored of shadowing in the sense that I want to actually DO something as opposed to just standing back. I love shadowing for a while, especially if I get to do hands on activities ( I am a patient care tech and have many health certifications), but if I a, shadowing the same speciality over and over it can get old just standing back feeling useless. I would bring a stethascope if you feel you would use it, especially if you deal with patients who would allow you to utilize it for abnormal findings. It always good to hear new things and compare the good and bad!
 
FCMike11 said:
Hrm.....why keep shadowing if you are accepted?
Click to expand...

You can also get an idea of the fields you like to do in the future. A pre-medical students questions are more geared towards the what do you like/dislike about medicine in general. However, a medical student's (and accepted students) questions will be geared towards the what do you like/dislike about your field.
 
OrdinaryDO said:
You have seen your own patients? I hope the attending is seeing the patients you are seeing as well! Lol. I don't think it's a bad sign if you don't enjoy shadowing. Personally, I get bored of shadowing in the sense that I want to actually DO something as opposed to just standing back. I love shadowing for a while, especially if I get to do hands on activities ( I am a patient care tech and have many health certifications), but if I a, shadowing the same speciality over and over it can get old just standing back feeling useless. I would bring a stethascope if you feel you would use it, especially if you deal with patients who would allow you to utilize it for abnormal findings. It always good to hear new things and compare the good and bad!
Click to expand...

You will learn in Med school but when you present to an attending, the attending then staffs with you afterwards. That's the only way to learn. I guess I'm lucky to love my specialty and to have such an awesome mentor. I have never felt bored but I guess everyone is different. Good luck guys!
 
I'm an accepted DO student as well, and I would never bring my own. Why? A) it could confuse people into thinking I knew what I was doing B) it would make me think I knew what I was doing. Same with white coats. In Europe I rounded with a white coat, and people called me doctor all the time. Nice ego boost but very dangerous if there were an emergency. In the US I round in a suit jacket. Patients have thought I was a minister, some thought I was a social worker, and I've been asked to leave even after the patient was told I was a pre-med student. BUT to be on the safe side, until you know what you are doing with a steth or a white coat (and I would not presume I do until trained properly) I would leave them at home.
 
Same thing will happen as a med student. People will call you doctor, and you will have zero idea what you're doing.
 
doctorinthehouse_ said:
You will learn in Med school but when you present to an attending, the attending then staffs with you afterwards. That's the only way to learn. I guess I'm lucky to love my specialty and to have such an awesome mentor. I have never felt bored but I guess everyone is different. Good luck guys!
Click to expand...

Ya but in all likelihood the school you go to will want you to present in a different way. Happened to me. So yes it is fun to learn and what not but just realize that it's for fun
 
I'd just ask the physician - personally I don't think they'd mind. Everyone has them, they're all around the hospitals and they'd probably appreciate less people using theirs for simple hygiene purposes.

Also a lot of schools will give you a stethoscope - at LECOM we got the Littmann Cardio III during white coat which are absolutely awesome.
 
doctorinthehouse_ said:
hey guys! So I have been shadowing a DO for almost 2 years and almost every day I shadow (1 day per week) either the attending or a resident has me use their stethoscope to listen for something. My dad found a litmann a couple of years ago at an old office he moved into and gave me the stethoscope as a gift. Would it be appropriate for me to bring that to clinic to use instead of borrowing their's every time? PS I'm an accepted medical student so I'm not just a "poser" pre-Med. Thanks for the input in advance!
Click to expand...

The two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
 
to answer your question: no. you'll look silly IMO. the doc will pass you his ears when need be.
 
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