Stethoscope picking

[4th year MedStu]

Hey guys
So I'm gonna need to buy an stethoscope for my next semester
Everyone I know has a Littmann
But one of my friends gave me a Welch Allyn classic II as a gift
Is it as good as Littman? Or do I have to buy one?

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[throwaway1939]

Either is fine, it didn'td matter anyways. I've been using an isolation stethoscope for the past year and I've been fine.

 

[Oso]

nice friend. no need to buy another one (unless you want a second one).

 

[pawprint]

Either is fine, it didn'td matter anyways. I've been using an isolation stethoscope for the past year and I've been fine.

Isolation stethoscope? If its anything like my hospital, those are pieces of plastic that don't actually work. I'd rather contract a virus than try to make a medical decision based on using one of those.

 

[mimelim]

Isolation stethoscope? If its anything like my hospital, those are pieces of plastic that don't actually work. I'd rather contract a virus than try to make a medical decision based on using one of those.

Works perfectly fine for me.

 

[throwaway1939]

Isolation stethoscope? If its anything like my hospital, those are pieces of plastic that don't actually work. I'd rather contract a virus than try to make a medical decision based on using one of those.

99.9% you should already know what decision you are going to make before you examine the patient.

 

[MedSchoolGurus]

I wouldn't get another stethoscope. The Littmann II is very good. Best of luck!

 

[Entadus]

99.9% you should already know what decision you are going to make before you examine the patient.

bad medical advice for 300

 

[operaman]

The WA is fine. Both it and the Littmann are good. I think there is value in learning on good equipment. Early on, it's good to know that if you aren't hearing something that it isn't just poor equipment but rather just inexperience and poor technique. It's still frustrating, but at least you know to keep trying and that eventually you will get it; with crap scopes, you always wonder if you're limited by the tool itself rather than your ability to use it.

Once you know what you're doing then using an isolation scope or something else cheap is probably fine for most applications.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Hey guys
So I'm gonna need to buy an stethoscope for my next semester
Everyone I know has a Littmann
But one of my friends gave me a Welch Allyn classic II as a gift
Is it as good as Littman? Or do I have to buy one?

Sounds like you want a Littman and hold the brand in high regard.

I personally prefer my WA Harvey Elite over my Littmann cardiowhatever.

At the end of the day I probably just need a $65 stethoscope.

 

[MSTPlease]

I can't see any reason for anyone other than a super duper hardcore cardiologist to buy a Littman after being gifted a Welch Allyn. Even then I'm not sure it's necessary.

 

[libertyyne]

old school or bust

 

[NicMouse64]

I have a $20 MDL stethoscope. I was able to take a BP and hear heart murmurs with it. I lose my stuff all the time. A $200 littman getting lost would give me some serious anxiety.

 

[t5Nitro]

I've heard from others they tend to put the WA above Littmann scopes. I haven't used a WA personally.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

99.9% you should already know what decision you are going to make before you examine the patient.

"Chest pain? Straight to cath you go."

Those plastic isolation ones suck. They're good enough this day and age, though, where everyone has the trigger finger on imaging. Hear something weird in the lungs? CT. Hear something weird with the heart? Echo.

 

[Oso]

old school or bust

ur such a hipster