What to buy before I start medical school?

[futurephysician57]

This is going to be my first time living alone. What are some things I need to buy for my apartment? What are some tips for living alone etc

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[efle]

crock pot , Chromecast and a quality chair

 

[Spoderman]

Invest in a desk and ergonomic chair. You'll keep that for years, and a dedicated workspace will probably be a nice thing to have in the future.

Also, a good set of pots, pans, and cookware/silverware. Maybe a crockpot if you really want to cook ok a budget.

As for tips, try to buy food in bulk for the week. Keep a calendar of when rent/electric/cable is due. Buy the big bota boxes for wine (they last a month in the fridge, seriously an awesome deal for the quality). Try not to eat out too often, it kills the budget faster than anything else will, except for maybe buying rounds at bars. Don't buy rounds at bars.


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[efle]

Look at that chair and crock pot immediately confirmed. They really are awesome

 

[freak7]

Buy the big bota boxes for wine (they last a month in the fridge, seriously an awesome deal for the quality).

Franz lyfe.

Try not to eat out too often, it kills the budget faster than anything else will, except for maybe buying rounds at bars. Don't buy rounds at bars.

Eat at home. Drink at home. You won't have to pay for rides home from bars and you'll never risk a DUI

 

[cranialLOOP]

Crockpot 10000%.
Saves so much money and effort.

 

[efle]

I just had slow cooked BBQ pork for dinner that took me 10 minutes to set up this morning and costs like a couple bucks per serving

crock pot is amazing

 

[f4reignbeauty]

A plane ticket to a place you've never seen before!

 

[BurghStudent]

Netflix subscription.

A decent bookcase.

A coffee maker.

 

[787593]

This is going to be my first time living alone. What are some things I need to buy for my apartment? What are some tips for living alone etc

Alcohol

 

[BoasANT]

No particular order. Some of the things I've used living alone:
Crockpot, Mini fridge (~100 bucks) with drinks, coffee maker(s), a fan (I like the noise), Brita + filters,
screwdriver, first aid kit, duct tape, a plunger, a STEAMER (I despise folding).

 

[americanm00se]

What are some of the easiest things to cook that you all use the crockpot for?

 

[precisiongraphic]

Replace crock pot with an Instant Pot. Cooks a pot roast in 90 minutes on the pressure setting. Also functions as a crock pot. And a rice cooker. Cooks chili in one pot, jambalaya, Chicken cacciatore, stew, soups. Steams veggies in 3-4 minutes.

Cooks hard boiled eggs in 8 minutes and they peel in one motion.

 

[ScottTenorman54]

.

 

[CharlieBillings]

Caffeine pills > Coffee

Water purifier of some sort

Board games for when people come over

You can also make a depressing and cheap sandwhich with the following : Generic white bread, Generic American Cheese slices, processed Turkey, Bologna, and some generic chips

 

[FeinMS]

A second monitor if you don't have one, good chair, maybe build a desk (haven't found one I like), gym membership, zebra Sarasa .3 mm gel pen, a nice bike, omega seamaster, espresso machine.

That's my wishlist. Will it happen?

If AMD breaks 30.

Highly recommend this pen. I use 0.5mm but one of the best pens ever. I also recommend Uniball Jetstream

 

[Astra]

a good wireless router. Nothing worse than having Wifi not reach your bathroom

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

If you need a bed, you can get one on amazon. There's a company on there called Zinus that makes great beds and they ship them to you for free (box spring and all) via prime and offer free returns. I got a king set for $500, and it's more comfortable than my old tempurpedic!

Buy anatomy lab scrubs at goodwill. The concept of spending $20 on a pair of scrubs just to ruin them with formaldehyde is a travesty.

Furniture from goodwill or some other thrift store. You can rent a uhaul pickup truck for the day for $20, and get some amazing furniture for dirt cheap.

Second a good desk. Ikea has a great section where you can mix and match desk sizes, heights, etc.

An auxiliary computer monitor. Go to goodwill/thrift store/amazon used and get an older model <30inch plasma TV. I got mine for $45, and it's probably the best investment I made in my studying. Notes one one screen, lecture on the other. Sooooo much less flipping though windows.

Consider getting a cat for company. There is nothing more heartwarming than having your cat sleep in your lap while you study. (for those who knew my old avatar, RIP Zorro the cat )

 

[LizzyM]

Furniture from goodwill or some other thrift store. You can rent a uhaul pickup truck for the day for $20, and get some amazing furniture for dirt cheap.)

Second this suggestion and recommend estate sales in nice neighborhoods. When we were starting out my husband and I scored a good rug and several pieces of high quality furniture for about 10% of what they would have cost new.

Also check freecycle and Craig's list. I know a med student who scored a free piano and had only the cost of moving it with a couple friends.


For coffee and other hot water needs, I recommend acquiring an electric kettle. Get yourself a Mellita pour-over cone for a couple bucks and you have hot freshly brewed coffee in just a few minutes and with the electric kettle you also have hot water for tea, instant oatmeal etc. so it is more cost effective than a dedicated coffee maker and it is cleaner and produces less waste than a Keurig.

 

[CavsFan2016]

Crockpot 10000%.
Saves so much money and effort.

Why is a crockpot so amazing? serious question

 

[caffeinemia]

Learning: Chair, desk, second monitor (bigger the better, honestly, opening 4 documents at once ain't a bad thing), some decent professional attire (shabby ass looking med students are just so sad).

Quality of life: I never used a crock pot, but I guess some people swear by it; coffee maker (i prefer grinder and simple pour-over), tv and xbox (sometimes you need a break), good mattress (I love some of memory foam mattresses offered on amazon - very affordable).

 

[Lucca]

Why is a crockpot so amazing? serious question

Cook in large volumes with little effort.

 

[Ad2b]

I'm a mom checking in here:

Crockpot Ideas

1. get the bag of Hurst's HamBeen's Slow Cooker Chili; ignore the "add sauce" at such / such time and 8 hours later, you have a meal for at least a week (I use this to feed my 6'7", 220lb son - it lasts him all of 2 days but for 1 person...); if vegetarian, just use less tomato sauce to account for lack of beef

2. two cans of Cream of Chicken soup, whatever frozen veggies you like, sliced/sautéed chicken cut up in pieces (2 mins with olive oil), throw in some onion - cook for 8 hours on low you have another meal for another 4-5 days

3. get a cheap piece of roast, throw it in with your favorite root veggies (potatoes, carrots ...) onions, toss in some Worcestershire sauce, some chili powder, enough water to cover the bottom, and some beef bouillon cubes - cook for 8 hours on low and you have dinner for another 4-5 days

When I was on welfare, I could feed my son and I decent, healthy meals for a month on the $150 I was given to buy food. Though not a welfare recipient anymore, those habits never left me.

 

[meep15]

Why is a crockpot so amazing? serious question

For me, it's because I can put stuff in it before I leave for work, then come home to a delicious dinner! It also makes a lot of food, so I can do meal prep on the weekends, and freeze leftovers. There are a ton of easy (and healthy) recipes out there too.

 

[caffeinemia]

I'm a mom checking in here:

Crockpot Ideas

1. get the bag of Hurst's HamBeen's Slow Cooker Chili; ignore the "add sauce" at such / such time and 8 hours later, you have a meal for at least a week (I use this to feed my 6'7", 220lb son - it lasts him all of 2 days but for 1 person...); if vegetarian, just use less tomato sauce to account for lack of beef

2. two cans of Cream of Chicken soup, whatever frozen veggies you like, sliced/sautéed chicken cut up in pieces (2 mins with olive oil), throw in some onion - cook for 8 hours on low you have another meal for another 4-5 days

3. get a cheap piece of roast, throw it in with your favorite root veggies (potatoes, carrots ...) onions, toss in some Worcestershire sauce, some chili powder, enough water to cover the bottom, and some beef bouillon cubes - cook for 8 hours on low and you have dinner for another 4-5 days

When I was on welfare, I could feed my son and I decent, healthy meals for a month on the $150 I was given to buy food. Though not a welfare recipient anymore, those habits never left me.

Hard boil a dozen eggs -- enough protein for a week. Cost maybe 3 bucks. Good in soup, ramen, with olive oil or bbq sauce, as a snack, etc etc.

 

[Chelsea FC]

I love cooking and cooking in bulk won't make medical school make me give up that hobby. I don't have any use for a slow cooker, I use a pressure cooker for stubborn meat (pork,mutton etc)

 

[Kgizzle]

Invest in a desk and ergonomic chair. You'll keep that for years, and a dedicated workspace will probably be a nice thing to have in the future.

Also, a good set of pots, pans, and cookware/silverware. Maybe a crockpot if you really want to cook ok a budget.

As for tips, try to buy food in bulk for the week. Keep a calendar of when rent/electric/cable is due. Buy the big bota boxes for wine (they last a month in the fridge, seriously an awesome deal for the quality). Try not to eat out too often, it kills the budget faster than anything else will, except for maybe buying rounds at bars. Don't buy rounds at bars.


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What are a good chair and desk? It's so hard to really look for those online

 

[caffeinemia]

What are a good chair and desk? It's so hard to really look for those online

I'm a design freak and a midcentury furniture lover, but also a very practical person... given that herman miller authentic furniture costs 1500 bucks a pop.... i chose some quality knock offs juxtaposed against really utilitarian ikea stuff.

I've identified that I love desk space and mid to high back chairs with adjustable titles. Simple desk from ikea (they resemble shietty lunch picnic tables) actually work out really well for me and cost 50-100 bucks or less.

For a quality and stylish knockoff, I really liked the eames managment chairs. I got the leather one and it has felt and worked wonderfully:

https://www.lauradavidsondirect.com/products/soho-ribbed-management-chair-black

https://www.lauradavidsondirect.com/collections/soho-premier-collection

https://www.lauradavidsondirect.com/collections

I'm sure other people have ideas as well.

 

[MagentaKarma]

Coffee pot, toaster oven (i don't have a toaster and never have to use the oven. you can even do some easy baking), tool kits, good sturdy desk and chair, lots of lamps for light, peanut butter.

 

[Toutie]

What are some of the easiest things to cook that you all use the crockpot for?

Throw in a pork loin roast, add a can or bottle (20 oz) of rootbeer (or Coke, or Dr Pepper). Cook on low for 8-10 hrs. Shred pork with 2 forks. Add some BBQ sauce for pulled pork sandwiches. Fry some up for carnitas to use in burritos or tacos. Stir fry some with veggies and serve with rice or noodles. There are multiple meals you can make out of that shredded pork.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Why is a crockpot so amazing? serious question

Basically you just put a ton of things you want to eat in, and a delicious meal comes out 8 hours later.

It's the next best thing to having a mom or girlfriend!

 

[libertyyne]

I'm a design freak and a midcentury furniture lover, but also a very practical person... given that herman miller authentic furniture costs 1500 bucks a pop.... i chose some quality knock offs juxtaposed against really utilitarian ikea stuff.

I've identified that I love desk space and mid to high back chairs with adjustable titles. Simple desk from ikea (they resemble shietty lunch picnic tables) actually work out really well for me and cost 50-100 bucks or less.

For a quality and stylish knockoff, I really liked the eames managment chairs. I got the leather one and it has felt and worked wonderfully:

https://www.lauradavidsondirect.com/products/soho-ribbed-management-chair-black

https://www.lauradavidsondirect.com/collections/soho-premier-collection

https://www.lauradavidsondirect.com/collections

I'm sure other people have ideas as well.

Why buy a knock off when you could buy aeron on Craigslist for 500. And function over form you want the chair to be good so you don't develop back pain.

 

[libertyyne]

Good chair
Good desk
Choice of caffeine delivery system
High resolution monitor
Sound isolation headphones
Instapot

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Second this suggestion and recommend estate sales in nice neighborhoods. When we were starting out my husband and I scored a good rug and several pieces of high quality furniture for about 10% of what they would have cost new.

Also check freecycle and Craig's list. I know a med student who scored a free piano and had only the cost of moving it with a couple friends.


For coffee and other hot water needs, I recommend acquiring an electric kettle. Get yourself a Mellita pour-over cone for a couple bucks and you have hot freshly brewed coffee in just a few minutes and with the electric kettle you also have hot water for tea, instant oatmeal etc. so it is more cost effective than a dedicated coffee maker and it is cleaner and produces less waste than a Keurig.

So true

I got this awesome super imposing painting of a tiger at the estate sale of some obscure African diplomat -$20

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Littman stethoscope so you can impress the class at your white coat ceremony .

In all seriousness, buy yourself something nice that you've been wanting as a reward. It doesn't have to be super expensive. When my best friend got accepted he got a ticket to six flags cause he didn't go with us the summer before! Congratulations!

 

[CharlieBillings]

What about stuff actually for the schooling part? Do we need to buy stethoscopes for example?

 

[FeinMS]

What about stuff actually for the schooling part? Do we need to buy stethoscopes for example?

Your school will let students buy them in bulk

 

[caffeinemia]

Used Aerons aren't my style. I think new knock off management chair functionally works just fine for me (for half the price and knowledge no one's ever jerked one off in it). But to each his own.

Things I actually didn't really ever need in medical school:

Stethoscope - went into surgery. stopped using the disposable ISOLATION STETHS after medicine rotation. If I wanted to listen to a lung, I'd get an xray or capnography. If I wanted to get a heart rhythm, I'd use a lead or 5 or 12 of them.
Tuning forks - lol.
Edit: Reflex hammer - totally forgot about that one. Just hit em with the edge of your phone.

Text books - never used Harrisons. Buy first aid, a decent anatomy atlas, uworld, use the lectures (that you paid for) and google.
AMA membership - don't even get me started on this one -- they sucker students into this and honestly only 15% of docs use it. It's the biggest organization keeping doctors down.
Short white coat tailoring -- can't believe some folks got their badge of shame fitted and embroidered.

 

[bararaboi]

Not necessarily for living alone, but get yourself a nice pair of Bose headphones for streaming. Probably the best purchase I've made thus far for med school.

 

[bananafish94]

Second this suggestion and recommend estate sales in nice neighborhoods. When we were starting out my husband and I scored a good rug and several pieces of high quality furniture for about 10% of what they would have cost new.

Also check freecycle and Craig's list. I know a med student who scored a free piano and had only the cost of moving it with a couple friends.

I'm the only person I know younger than 30 who buys things from estate sales. It's the best kept secret in the world. I'm currently typing this from a desk that looks like it belongs in the oval office, which I bought for $12. Clothes, too! I got a Brooks Brothers peacoat for $5. Shopping in department stores is for suckers.

 

[drechie]

Not necessarily for living alone, but get yourself a nice pair of Bose headphones for streaming. Probably the best purchase I've made thus far for med school.

I've heard this suggestion a lot but don't think I can bring myself to make such a pricy purchase

 

[bananafish94]

First rule of Estate sales: Don't talk about estate sales.

Remember what happened to thrift shops after Macklemore?

Ha! You raise fair points. But unless you're a true thrift shop connoisseur you don't know that the best places are the ones that aren't advertised online and can only be found when you're aimlessly meandering around a weird part of town. Most of my clothes are from the back of a Korean church that's only open six hours per week.

 

[machete fred]

First rule of Estate sales: Don't talk about estate sales.

Remember what happened to thrift shops after Macklemore?

How does one find out when/where estate sales are going on?

 

[libertyyne]

Ha! You raise fair points. But unless you're a true thrift shop connoisseur you don't know that the best places are the ones that aren't advertised online and can only be found when you're aimlessly meandering around a weird part of town. Most of my clothes are from the back of a Korean church that's only open six hours per week.

Best thrift shops are the ones that are adjacent to extremely wealthy communities.

 

[Doctor-S]

Crockpot. I still use my crockpot (even though I'm no longer in school). When I return home from work, it's nice to be welcomed by the delicious aroma of a home-made meal. My friends and family love it, too!

Electric blanket. If you live in a chilly weather state, it feels wonderful to warm up your bed linens before going to sleep - especially when you've been busy at school (or rotations/residency) all day long and your body and mind are aching or numb.

A high-quality fluffy bath towel. Just to wrap yourself in some blissful wonderfulness after you emerge from a steaming shower/tub.

 

[Goro]

In addition to what's mentioned above, you can throw things in at night and have them ready in the AM.. Great for making bulk oatmeal, butI prepare a lot of regular dishes this way. I love Cooking Light magazine, and today will be making a crockpot pork with posole recipe.

Oh, add a rice cooker to the list of things above.

And some cookbooks!!!!

Why is a crockpot so amazing? serious question

100% agree to both of the below. My town has a killer thrift store and I've become a label snob from it. LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, Land's End, Polo, American Eagle....that's it for me! Best bargain ever: brand new $120 Eccos for maybe 25-30 bucks!

Ha! You raise fair points. But unless you're a true thrift shop connoisseur you don't know that the best places are the ones that aren't advertised online and can only be found when you're aimlessly meandering around a weird part of town. Most of my clothes are from the back of a Korean church that's only open six hours per week.

Best thrift shops are the ones that are adjacent to extremely wealthy communities.

 

[LizzyM]

Electric blanket. If you live in a chilly weather state, it feels wonderful to warm up your bed linens before going to sleep - especially when you've been busy at school (or rotations/residency) all day long and your body and mind are aching or numb.

My parents have an electric mattress pad on a timer-- the kind you buy to turn lights on and off when you aren't home! It goes on a half hour before bedtime and turns itself off a few hours later so that they don't overheat.

 

[bananafish94]

Best bargain ever: brand new $120 Eccos for maybe 25-30 bucks!

Last summer I found a pair of Allen Edmonds black leather shoes for $8 (no joke). Lightly used but I shined them and they look good as new. No doubt in my mind that they will last me well into my years as a real doctor.

 

[LizzyM]

How does one find out when/where estate sales are going on?

Classified section of the weekly newspaper that is published for the fancy suburban communities. Or just drive around on a weekend in the spring or fall and look for signs. Some churches and temples have annual rummage sales that are like a pop up thrift shops. Ask around.

cookbooks

If you have Google, you don't need cookbooks. Google the word recipe and the names of the foods you want to eat (chicken thighs, potatoes, mushrooms) and you will find some recipes and comments from other people who have used that recipe. If a recipe is any good, save a hard copy or save electronically and over time you'll build your own cookbook.

 

[cactusman]

So true

I got this awesome super imposing painting of a tiger at the estate sale of some obscure African diplomat -$20
View attachment 215376

Now get that as a tattoo.