stethoscopes?

[medicinehopeful]

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I will be needing a stetho as a first year. My school requires us to have a stetho with 2 listening devices (bell and diaphragm). We have a med company rep come and sell them to us during orientation. I just found out today that I will be able to get a free stetho from a giveaway program. I just don't know which stethos match my school requirements. I have the choice between the Littman Classic II, Littman Cardio III (27 in), and a number of Welch Allyn scopes. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, I have never used a stethoscope, so is it worth it to wait until orientation and actually try one out to buy? I just can't wait until orientation if I want one for free.
Thanks

 

[UCSBMed1]

I will be needing a stetho as a first year. My school requires us to have a stetho with 2 listening devices (bell and diaphragm). We have a med company rep come and sell them to us during orientation. I just found out today that I will be able to get a free stetho from a giveaway program. I just don't know which stethos match my school requirements. I have the choice between the Littman Classic II, Littman Cardio III (27 in), and a number of Welch Allyn scopes. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, I have never used a stethoscope, so is it worth it to wait until orientation and actually try one out to buy? I just can't wait until orientation if I want one for free.
Thanks

Here's a link to a SEARCH with countless threads on this topic: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/search.php?searchid=1105975

I personally have a Master Cardio III, and its great. Of course its just a matter of personal preference, so try them out, and pick the one that fits your price range and style.

Good luck.

 

[LevatorAni]

I swear by my Welch Allen Tycos Elite. It's all a matter of preference.

 

[Arsenic]

littman cardio III is a good one

 

[stoic]

the physicians i've shadowed all told me to get the littman cardio III... so i did. but as it's still a month till i start med school, i couldn't really tell you much about it's sound quality.

 

[Arsenic]

the physicians i've shadowed all told me to get the littman cardio III... so i did. but as it's still a month till i start med school, i couldn't really tell you much about it's sound quality.

its pretty much the standard

 

[DW3843]

http://www.steeles.com/

this site has all that you might need to buy as a student
and the prices are good

 

[medicinehopeful]

Does the littman cardio III have the two listening devices (bell & diaphragm)?

 

[rpkall]

Yep. It comes with 2 diaphragms (one larger than the other), and a little kit so you can convert the smaller side to a traditional bell rather than a "miniature diaphragm."

 

[raidermedic]

Yep. It comes with 2 diaphragms (one larger than the other), and a little kit so you can convert the smaller side to a traditional bell rather than a "miniature diaphragm."

This may sound dumb but how exactly is this done? I figured I would just take off the diaphragm from the Pedi side but I haven't been able to see if it works as a bell.

 

[rpkall]

Not dumb at all. You just take the diaphragm off the pedi side by stretching the little plastic ring and popping it out. Then you use the funny little rubber washer looking thingy to cover the exposed metal ring (pull it on over the metal lip) of what will become your bell. Once you have the rubber cover on, straighten it out so it doesn't look stupid (provides insulation/contact equally on all sides) and you're good to go.

There might be instructions in the stethescope box when you buy it (I'm talking about a Littman Cardio III, btw).

 

[DW3843]

isn't there some trick where you just apply more pressure to the auscultation site and the diaphragm works as a bell -- or is that backwards? I don't know

anybody else heard of this?

 

[heldicus]

I will be needing a stetho as a first year. My school requires us to have a stetho with 2 listening devices (bell and diaphragm). We have a med company rep come and sell them to us during orientation. I just found out today that I will be able to get a free stetho from a giveaway program. I just don't know which stethos match my school requirements. I have the choice between the Littman Classic II, Littman Cardio III (27 in), and a number of Welch Allyn scopes. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, I have never used a stethoscope, so is it worth it to wait until orientation and actually try one out to buy? I just can't wait until orientation if I want one for free.
Thanks

Buy whatever you want, but don't call it a "stetho" ever again.

 

[Deleted member 72527]

I will be needing a stetho as a first year. My school requires us to have a stetho with 2 listening devices (bell and diaphragm). We have a med company rep come and sell them to us during orientation. I just found out today that I will be able to get a free stetho from a giveaway program. I just don't know which stethos match my school requirements. I have the choice between the Littman Classic II, Littman Cardio III (27 in), and a number of Welch Allyn scopes. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, I have never used a stethoscope, so is it worth it to wait until orientation and actually try one out to buy? I just can't wait until orientation if I want one for free.
Thanks

Is the giveaway program available to others or do you have a special connection. If available, can you PM me with information? I'm SOOOO beyond poor right now and had to take some private loans to cover part of my tuition so am trying really hard to budget. Thanks!!!

 

[rpkall]

With the Littmann diaphragm, the "gimmick" is that the double-headed diaphragm is "better than a traditional bell" because it can listen to both high and low frequency sounds at the same time.

So, Littmann says, "Buy our cardio III stethescope, and you can have two stethescopes in one--an adult and pediatric, both of which have special diaphragms that allow you to adjust the pressure and listen to high frequency sounds (inc. pressure) and low frequency sounds (slight pressure)." I think that's how the thing works--if I'm wrong, someone post and enlighten me.

I have a cardio III, but I converted the small pediatric side to the traditional bell when I took a Physical Exam course in PA school--I was told that the traditional bell was best for low frequency sounds and the diaphragm was best for the rest (i.e., don't mess around with the littmann gimmick while I'm trying to learn).

I can only presume they'd tell you the same thing in med school. In any case, I guess we'll all find out at some point.

As for my recommendation--the only thing I would suggest is getting the longer version (27 in tube) of a single-tube one to cut down on artifact noise (the double tubed ones can be noisy). As for that, it depends on budget. Most everyone will tell you to get a Littmann Cardio III to learn on, cuz it's a nice, simple, durable stethescope that should hold up well to a couple years of fumbling around with it like a fool, etc.

 

[dtreese]

Get the Cardio III. All the cool kids do.