stethoscopes... please help me choose

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aye

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hey guys. i tried looking for reviews on stethoscopes on google but i couldn't find anything one them. i usually like to research things before i invest in expensive equipment but i can't find any info on them.

are there any websites you know that review steth's?? what brand is considered the best.... littman???

i found a website that sells them mad cheap (allheart.com) and there's only a $15 different between the cardiology III and the best one (master cardiology). so i'm thinking that i might as well buy the latter... but i'm afraid that it'll come off pretentious with me being a lowly 2nd year med student.

are there any other good brands?? i saw DRG which looks pretty nice... they're eargel tips sound really nice. how about Welch Allyn?

thanks!
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Littman III

The Master Cardiology is nice but takes some practice when using it. You can hear different types of sounds based on how hard you press the bell to the skin. On the Littman III you can simply flip the head around.

I suggest getting your name on it as well. They tend to walk.
 
JPHazelton said:
Littman III
The Master Cardiology is nice but takes some practice when using it. You can hear different types of sounds based on how hard you press the bell to the skin. On the Littman III you can simply flip the head around.
Click to expand...

Just make sure that you do flip the head around if you want to listen with the other side. :D

Also, the eartips point in the direction of your ear canals (anteriorly). You'll thank me for that.

There are a bunch of threads on this topic, here is one that comes to mind:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=253778

The Littmann III is the most popular for medical and nursing students. Not only does it serve its purpose well, but all of the ladies will want to get with you if you have one.
 
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actually, my gf has the littman III and i've used it as well. i read on the 3M website that both sides serve as the bell and diaphragm... it just depends on how hard you press it. the smaller side isn't really the bell, its meant for pediatric use. :thumbup:

by getting the master cardiology... am i limiting myself to adult patients???
 
aye said:
by getting the master cardiology... am i limiting myself to adult patients???
Click to expand...

If you get the master cardiology as an M1, I think that it would paint you in a negative light.

Quick Q...

Let's say that you are being tested and the examiner asks you to demonstrate auscultation of a carotid bruit. How do you do it with a master steth?
 
Critical Mass said:
If you get the master cardiology as an M1, I think that it would paint you in a negative light.

Quick Q...

Let's say that you are being tested and the examiner asks you to demonstrate auscultation of a carotid bruit. How do you do it with a master steth?
Click to expand...

well, you need to use the bell for bruits... so press lightly on the patient's neck. but the problem might be that the examiner doesn't know that the steth you have can serve both as a bell and a diaphragm... and you might get points docked off for not switching sides... :thumbdown:
 
Try before you buy

If you're not in med school yet, wait until you are. You might get a better price through a Littman or Welch Allyn rep.

Or you can resist peer pressure and buy a DRG stethoscope.
 
aye said:
and you might get points docked off for not switching sides... :thumbdown:
Click to expand...

Indeed I had that happen as a nursing student. That's why I go with the standard Littmann II Classic S.E. It gives you plenty of quality for med school purposes. Of course I'd get more honies if I went with the Cardiology III.

The lowest prices I've seen are here:

http://www.steeles.com/

:luck:
 
Think about what specialty you (think you) are pursuing. I'm going into anesthesia, and i couldn't be happier with my Littmann Master Classic II. Slim, easy to slide up the back of a patient's shirt for a quick listen to lung fields, etc., will be fine for using under the drapes. Easily fits into my scrubs. Got it for like $75 on eBay.

Don't think you have to buy the best possible scope you can afford, unless you are really gunning for Cards. There are countless threads on this, do a search. Long story short, your ability to hear the murmur is more reliant on your own perceptions than the tubing and hunk of metal.

Let the arguing commence...
 
aye said:
the smaller side isn't really the bell, its meant for pediatric use. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

True

But you can also remove the plastic diaphragm and help out with certain sounds.

Also, the small side on the III fits well for carotids.
 
If you can, find somewhere which will let you try out several scopes and see which one you can hear the best with (and find most comfortable). There are a number of threads about this so my advice is to do a search if you're really serious about hearing what people hear think, though usually someone will say they prefer the Cardiology III and that'll be followed by 10 posts agreeing. Find out for yourself and don't be too tied to brand name.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
MaximusD said:
JP:

Is it true that PCOM gifts new steths to students? If so, when and which type?

Maximoose
Click to expand...

The Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) will give each new DO student (at PCOM and LECOM) a Littman Cardiology 3 Scope (however, you may not get the color you want but it's a free gift) ... given sometime during 1st trimester of 1st year

*they also supply you with the short white coats so that's why you see POMA on the sleeve
 
aye said:
hey guys. i tried looking for reviews on stethoscopes on google but i couldn't find anything one them. i usually like to research things before i invest in expensive equipment but i can't find any info on them.

are there any websites you know that review steth's?? what brand is considered the best.... littman???

i found a website that sells them mad cheap (allheart.com) and there's only a $15 different between the cardiology III and the best one (master cardiology). so i'm thinking that i might as well buy the latter... but i'm afraid that it'll come off pretentious with me being a lowly 2nd year med student.

are there any other good brands?? i saw DRG which looks pretty nice... they're eargel tips sound really nice. how about Welch Allyn?

thanks!
Click to expand...

I have the Welch Allyn Harvery stethescope and have been very happy with it. It's cheaper than Littmans and I think it's works just as well if not better. I just had a resident in the ED the other day borrow mine because he left his at home and he returned it to me saying he could hear more with it than he usually does with his. I don't like having the bell/diaphragm on the same side because i feel like i'm never sure how hard i'm pressing to be sure I'm listening with what I want. Oh, and my welch allyn came with a pediatric diaphragm as well making look like a superstar on my peds rotation :cool:
 
pillowhead said:
I have the Welch Allyn Harvery stethescope and have been very happy with it. It's cheaper than Littmans and I think it's works just as well if not better. I just had a resident in the ED the other day borrow mine because he left his at home and he returned it to me saying he could hear more with it than he usually does with his. I don't like having the bell/diaphragm on the same side because i feel like i'm never sure how hard i'm pressing to be sure I'm listening with what I want. Oh, and my welch allyn came with a pediatric diaphragm as well making look like a superstar on my peds rotation :cool:
Click to expand...

I have this one too and I really like it. I just listened with all the steths that the sales reps that came to my school had and bought the one that I could hear the most with and that was most comfortable in my ears. I suggest the op does the same, cause in the end thats all that really matters.
 
aye said:
actually, my gf has the littman III and i've used it as well. i read on the 3M website that both sides serve as the bell and diaphragm... it just depends on how hard you press it. the smaller side isn't really the bell, its meant for pediatric use. :thumbup:

by getting the master cardiology... am i limiting myself to adult patients???
Click to expand...

the smaller side of the littman cardio III can be either a pediatric diaphragm OR a bell. you can remove the pedi diaphragm and replace it with the little rubber o-ring that comes in the box... voila, you now have a genuine bell. thats the way i keep mine most of the time, im actually on pediatric surgery now so i just converted the bell back into a pedi diaphragm. its just easier when dealing with the ultra small babies, ie with the adult diaphragm on the chest of a newborn you'd hear heart sounds, breath sounds and bowel sounds all at once since its so big.
 
DragonWell said:
I got it as a gift. Am I screwed? Will I forever be labeled as that "kid with the expensive stethoscope who has absolutely no idea how to use it"?
Click to expand...


I feel your pain... I got a master cardio as a gift also, with my name and everything. I think I am gonna get the cardio III also for 2 reasons:

1. I don't want everything to think im incredibly pretentious.... though Im not a big fan of caring what everyone thinks, I dont want people not liking me because of false impressions (students along with doctors and faculty).

2. What someone mentioned earlier, not flipping to the bell may cause a deduction in points and ultimately is the main reason I'll keep the master of cardio for special occasions. =(

what do you guys think?
 
Dooooom said:
I feel your pain... I got a master cardio as a gift also, with my name and everything. I think I am gonna get the cardio III also for 2 reasons:

1. I don't want everything to think im incredibly pretentious.... though Im not a big fan of caring what everyone thinks, I dont want people not liking me because of false impressions (students along with doctors and faculty).

2. What someone mentioned earlier, not flipping to the bell may cause a deduction in points and ultimately is the main reason I'll keep the master of cardio for special occasions. =(

what do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Meh, if you already have one, there's no point in spending another couple of hundred dollars for a different one. You will probably be taught to do physical exams and use your stethescope in years 1 and 2, long before rotations, so you can see how people react then, but I highly doubt it's going to be a problem. If anyone says anything just say that you got it as a gift.
 
buy a really cheap one, and then buy a really good one when you start 3rd year.
 
DragonWell said:
I got it as a gift. Am I screwed? Will I forever be labeled as that "kid with the expensive stethoscope who has absolutely no idea how to use it"?
Click to expand...

Yes. :D

My school gave us freebie II S.E.'s. I sold mine to a nursing student.
 
DragonWell said:
I got it as a gift. Am I screwed? Will I forever be labeled as that "kid with the expensive stethoscope who has absolutely no idea how to use it"?
Click to expand...

Who cares what people think... I got it, not because I think I'm some sort of big shot or anything. I was working as an ekg tech and all the cardiologists were using this so I figured it must be a pretty good scope. I wanted to buy the best one I could so that I had the best chance of actually being able to hear something during my medical education so I went with the Master Cardiology. To hell with the Master Cardiology III, even though it's a good scope too.
 
DragonWell said:
I got it as a gift. Am I screwed? Will I forever be labeled as that "kid with the expensive stethoscope who has absolutely no idea how to use it"?
Click to expand...

Who cares what people think... I got it, not because I think I'm some sort of big shot or anything. I was working as an ekg tech and all the cardiologists were using this so I figured it must be a pretty good scope. I wanted to buy the best one I could so that I had the best chance of actually being able to hear something during my medical education so I went with the Master Cardiology. To hell with the Master Cardiology III, even though it's a good scope too. By the way, where's KentW? He always chimes in about how much he hates Littman's about this time and he is always able to sniff out stethoscope threads.
 
I guess I'm going against the grain - I just bought a Welch Allyn Elite on Ebay. It's used but look like new to me and I only paid 60 bucks.
 
silas2642 said:
I wanted to buy the best one I could so that I had the best chance of actually being able to hear something during my medical education so I went with the Master Cardiology.
Click to expand...

I hear this from nursing students too. The usual response you'll get here is that it still doesn't matter for what you're listening for as a medical student. The risk vs. reward is certainly greater with the more expensive model because these things have a tendency to grow legs.

KentW--no gold plating? Here I ordered a gold one with zebra-print tubing and a logo across the neck that says "pimpin' ain't easy." Man do I feel like an idiot now. I thought that it would supplement my grill for OB/Gyn rotations. You already know those ladies put out...
 
Critical Mass said:
KentW--no gold plating? Here I ordered a gold one with zebra-print tubing and a logo across the neck that says "pimpin' ain't easy." Man do I feel like an idiot now. I thought that it would supplement my grill for OB/Gyn rotations. You already know those ladies put out...
Click to expand...

Better watch out...you might OG!
 
I got welch allyn harvey elite DX. The thing sounds awesome, at least to my untrained MS1 ears. The littman sounds to me like it has a lot of amplified background noise, whereas this one sounds clear as heck. It's very easy to tell different sounds apart with it.

Could it be because it's the only one that has a bell made of brass (as opposed to stainless steel)? After all, brass is the metal of choice for musical instruments, because it transmits sound at the best quality. hmmmm ... maybe welch allyn is on to something?
 
Critical Mass said:
I hear this from nursing students too. The usual response you'll get here is that it still doesn't matter for what you're listening for as a medical student. The risk vs. reward is certainly greater with the more expensive model because these things have a tendency to grow legs.

KentW--no gold plating? Here I ordered a gold one with zebra-print tubing and a logo across the neck that says "pimpin' ain't easy." Man do I feel like an idiot now. I thought that it would supplement my grill for OB/Gyn rotations. You already know those ladies put out...
Click to expand...

Wow, I'm strangely turned on...
 
JPHazelton said:
Littman III

The Master Cardiology is nice but takes some practice when using it. You can hear different types of sounds based on how hard you press the bell to the skin. On the Littman III you can simply flip the head around.

I suggest getting your name on it as well. They tend to walk.
Click to expand...

How do you put your name on the free ones they gift you at PCOM?
 
Hurricane95 said:
After all, brass is the metal of choice for musical instruments, because it transmits sound at the best quality.
Click to expand...

Many brass instruments on the high end are made from silver. I have yet to see any solid silver steths tho. Suppose they would require too much polishing.

Dr. Kelso has a gold plated steth.
 
I originally bought a Master Cardiology steth and loved it. It made everything sound like a freight train. And although I had my name etched on the bell and a tag on the tubing, it was kiped within a month. So then I settled with the cheapo $12 steth. Occassionally I would have to ask someone in the room to shush but I could still hear whatever I needed to hear, granted I am not in cardiology. And if I need to do a nasal intubation on the fly, I dont cry over tearing it apart and having to get a new one.

My advice, stick with cheap or free until you decide what you are going into, and therefore know how much you need out of the stethoscope. Also keep in mind that a lot of places have live-in steths. Just lube it up with an alcohol swabbie and go to town!
 
If you are feeling totally insecure about having a cargioligist stethiscope, your medical school can prbobably convert it to a III for a small fee.
 
hey guys. after reading that post by KentW on top quality stethoscopes... i've decided to go to the john's hopkins bookstore (i live in bmore) to try them out in a couple of weeks. i was browsing thru their website and saw the welch allyn elite and DLX. there's another one called: Welch Allyn Original Harvey Double Head Stethoscope. it seems very similar to the dlx but cheaper does anyone have any input on that particular model??? here's the link:

http://webmedbooks.com/hopkins/content/productsearch.aspx/sid=9ae4a475-4000-41ec-936c-12a5164addea/

thanks!
 
I work in a trophy store - when you go in to get a steth engraved, DONT ASK. It is one of those thigns that are a little more difficult... just tell them "i need this engraved here (point) thanks and have a nice day" It would also help if you advise them to laser-engrave or hand engrave it, rather then using a rotary machine.

Rumor has it, you can actually get the binural tubing laser engraved on the littmanns, but I havent felt like running my new littmann through the machine.
 
On to the next logical topic...

Don't use stethoscope covers. They harbor MRSA. :thumbdown:
 
aye said:
hey guys. i tried looking for reviews on stethoscopes on google but i couldn't find anything one them. i usually like to research things before i invest in expensive equipment but i can't find any info on them.

are there any websites you know that review steth's?? what brand is considered the best.... littman???

i found a website that sells them mad cheap (allheart.com) and there's only a $15 different between the cardiology III and the best one (master cardiology). so i'm thinking that i might as well buy the latter... but i'm afraid that it'll come off pretentious with me being a lowly 2nd year med student.

are there any other good brands?? i saw DRG which looks pretty nice... they're eargel tips sound really nice. how about Welch Allyn?

thanks!
Click to expand...

I'll give you the advice that was given to me:
"Remember, the more expensive your stethoscope is, the bigger your penis is"

Unfortunately, I've met far too many people who seem to think that its accurate
 
doubt it really matters, but our whole class got the littman cardiology III

i like it, but haven't used anything else for comparison
 
Critical Mass said:
On to the next logical topic...

Don't use stethoscope covers. They harbor MRSA. :thumbdown:
Click to expand...

Um dumb question: why does a stethoscope need a cover anyway? I've asked so many people this and all I get is a couple of grunts then some version of "It's so plain and I want to express my individuality" all while they tug at their hospital supplied muy blah scrubs.
 
Critical Mass said:
On to the next logical topic...

Don't use stethoscope covers. They harbor MRSA. :thumbdown:
Click to expand...

And you're not supposed to wear your stethoscope around your neck (if you plan on keeping your stethoscope to use through residency). The oils in your neck ruin the tubing, which will become stiff until it cracks. My sister's stethoscope gave out halfway through residency.
 
Mayhem said:
Um dumb question: why does a stethoscope need a cover anyway? I've asked so many people this and all I get is a couple of grunts then some version of "It's so plain and I want to express my individuality" all while they tug at their hospital supplied muy blah scrubs.
Click to expand...

Why do people spend $30 on printed scrub tops? I imagine that it's for the same reason. Can't say that I have an answer.
 
Critical Mass said:
Why do people spend $30 on printed scrub tops?
Click to expand...

My personal research indicates that the odds are 10 to 1 it involves an Axis 2 disorder. And by research I mean pointing and laughing with my friends.
 
smq123 said:
And you're not supposed to wear your stethoscope around your neck (if you plan on keeping your stethoscope to use through residency). The oils in your neck ruin the tubing, which will become stiff until it cracks. My sister's stethoscope gave out halfway through residency.
Click to expand...

Most companies sell replacement tubing.
 
aye said:
hey guys. after reading that post by KentW on top quality stethoscopes... i've decided to go to the john's hopkins bookstore (i live in bmore) to try them out in a couple of weeks. i was browsing thru their website and saw the welch allyn elite and DLX. there's another one called: Welch Allyn Original Harvey Double Head Stethoscope. it seems very similar to the dlx but cheaper does anyone have any input on that particular model??? here's the link:

http://webmedbooks.com/hopkins/content/productsearch.aspx/sid=9ae4a475-4000-41ec-936c-12a5164addea/

thanks!
Click to expand...



Bump to this. I'm actually very curious too.

(BTW, the link you gave doesn't seem to work for me, but here are the two separate links):

Harvey Double Head:
http://webmedbooks.com/hopkins/cont...=0//sid=cb53a0b3-8f2e-4b80-bfdf-a96e25f0d851/

Harvey DLX Double Head:
http://webmedbooks.com/hopkins/cont...=0//sid=cb53a0b3-8f2e-4b80-bfdf-a96e25f0d851/



What's the difference? (besides the price)
 
rogerwilco said:
Bump to this. I'm actually very curious too.

(BTW, the link you gave doesn't seem to work for me, but here are the two separate links):

Harvey Double Head:
http://webmedbooks.com/hopkins/cont...=0//sid=cb53a0b3-8f2e-4b80-bfdf-a96e25f0d851/

Harvey DLX Double Head:
http://webmedbooks.com/hopkins/cont...=0//sid=cb53a0b3-8f2e-4b80-bfdf-a96e25f0d851/



What's the difference? (besides the price)
Click to expand...

Looks like there is a triple head too:

http://www.steeles.com/catalog/harvey_DblTrpl.html

I'd be interested in knowing any differences too...
 
just to add to the confusion...

has anyone tried the MDF 797 classic cardiology?? i can get a great discount on them... how are they compared to the Welch Allyn stethoscopes?
 
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