What to do with scholarship money?

[UGA Non Trad]

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I was recently awarded a local scholarship for "supplies" associated with going back to school. They need a list of things to order, as they will not cut me a check (first thing I asked). I had already purchased a 2 in 1 laptop and recently received a stethoscope as a gift.

Any suggestions for things I will actually use in med school?

 

[Ismet]

We had to buy an oto/ophthalmoscope, maybe see if your school requires that. Tuning fork and reflex hammer, but those are cheap. Netter's Atlas. Rohen's atlas. A 2nd white coat (my school sells them to us for $25).

There are several books I'd recommend from my own experience but it's usually best to check with people at your school. Abbas Immunology was perfect for immuno. People love Lippincott Biochem. Get Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple. PharmCards. If you want to be super proactive you can grab the 5th edition of Pocket Medicine (purple) as I doubt there will be a new edition by the time you're in 3rd year.

 

[masaraksh]

Ask for the things you will absolutely end up spending money on.... so, like not useless crap like oto-opthalmoscopes or textbooks (srsly, only squares buy textbooks nowadays. In fact, I may even guess there is a correlation between people who buy all the textbooks and not honoring classes)

Get:
- Pathoma subscription
- Sketchy Micro
- Step 1 Qbanks

I dunno, ask for them to give you the money in 'gift cards' to Staples, or grocery stores.

Trying to get textbooks ahead of time is going to be very wasteful IMO. When I started first year I got a set of Netters cards from a 2nd year 'big bro' and probably used them twice throughout Gross anatomy, and still Honored. Those cards are like $50 imagine how much of a waste it would have been to buy them. The same will be true for a lot of textbooks.

 

[Porfirio]

How much is the scholarship? My list would be:

2 pairs of scrubs (Anatomy lab)
disposable shoes
3 boxes of nitrile gloves
scalpel blades
maxwell quick medical reference
pen light
tromner reflex hammer
5th edition of Pocket Medicine
Pathoma
Ethicon Student knot tying kit
Nice desk chair (if they would be willing to buy this because the first 2 years is mostly sitting on your a$$ while studying)
Nice desk (reasoning above)

Most books you can find a free PDF, and most schools offer free printing.

 

[UGA Non Trad]

Thanks for all the input everyone. These are all things I wouldn't have even thought of putting on the list. The scholarship is just $1000, but it seems that can put a serious dent in some of the things you're suggesting. I don't think the subscriptions will fly as they like tangible things as they post a picture of the recipient and their purchased supplies on the wall of their establishment.

An ergonomic chair is a great idea as my "pleather" desk chair has seen better days.

 

[ortnakas]

If you're a fan of paper books (not everyone likes e-books), see if you can get a copy of your book list and get some of those. At ~$100ish a pop, getting some for free would be nice.

See if you can get a copy of your supplies list as well. You may be required to have an otoscope/opthalmascope/etc. Opinions vary on if it's worth it to pay for Welch Allyn quality or if you're better off going cheap from Amazon, but since it's not your money either way that may make the decision easier.

 

[Ismet]

If you need an oto-ophthalmoscope, get the cheaper one off Amazon (ADC brand). I think I paid $120 for it, and it's still working the same over halfway through 3rd year. And yes, I do use it, though less often in 3rd year obviously. Meanwhile several people have had their expensive Welch Allyn scopes ($300+) stolen or lost.

 

[NontradCA]

Pathoma, firecracker, Oto/Opth kit, lilys cardio, BRS phys, first aid, Robbins, R & P Histo.

Any combination of these.

 

[masaraksh]

OMG, Yes. Good desk chair.

Still, F*** getting the books.

 

[seminoma]

You will never need your own ear/eye lookers unless you are going to some pos school that rotates in places that don't have their own ear/eye lookers for everyone to use.

 

[masaraksh]

Vanity license plate for your car - "MD STUD"

 

[xffan624]

I was recently awarded a local scholarship for "supplies" associated with going back to school. They need a list of things to order, as they will not cut me a check (first thing I asked). I had already purchased a 2 in 1 laptop and recently received a stethoscope as a gift.

Any suggestions for things I will actually use in med school?

Professional clothes - for interactions with patients. If you already have a good amount, then don't worry about it, but if you don't it will help to get some nice professional clothes.

 

[WinslowPringle]

Yeah, don't get the scopes if you can avoid it. No to the ethicon knot tying kit. That's what shoelaces are for! 🙂
Second the chair or desk, though. Nice noise-cancelling headphones are always good.
Pathoma, Firecracker.
I personally used Netter's a lot...but there are some awesome anatomy apps that would be more helpful. Oh, Anki as an app.
If you're into it, nice new highlighters and pens.

 

[Ismet]

You will never need your own ear/eye lookers unless you are going to some pos school that rotates in places that don't have their own ear/eye lookers for everyone to use.

I rotate at one of the top hospital systems in the country, and inpatient rooms do not have oto/ophtho scopes. There's usually a cart somewhere on the floor that no one can ever find because it's tucked away in some random supply room.

 

[seminoma]

Does the ethicon kit cost money now? Back in the day I made a 1 minute phone call and they mailed me one for free.

I definitely wouldn't pay any money for it...

Still free, but they are "on backorder" in 5 states (I've talked to the ethicon reps for 5 different states).

 

[seminoma]

I rotate at one of the top hospital systems in the country, and inpatient rooms do not have oto/ophtho scopes. There's usually a cart somewhere on the floor that no one can ever find because it's tucked away in some random supply room.

By "pos school" I didn't mean low ranked or whatever. I meant "school/rotation site that doesn't have necessary tools available for use". I could be wrong, but I don't think many attendings are walking around with an oto/ophth-scope in their white coat.

 

[Ismet]

Does the ethicon kit cost money now? Back in the day I made a 1 minute phone call and they mailed me one for free.

I definitely wouldn't pay any money for it...

They've been on backorder for months now. Someone posted the site on reddit freebies and they broke it.

 

[Ismet]

By "pos school" I didn't mean low ranked or whatever. I meant "school/rotation site that doesn't have necessary tools available for use". I could be wrong, but I don't think many attendings are walking around with an oto/ophth-scope in their white coat.

That's what the med student is for. If the scope is emergently necessary for something (rare), they can get their hands on one in the hospital. It's just not necessary to have one in every patient room as it's rarely used. But I've gotten texts from my resident asking if I could bring in my scope the following day to look at something in a patient.

 

[WinslowPringle]

Does the ethicon kit cost money now? Back in the day I made a 1 minute phone call and they mailed me one for free.

I definitely wouldn't pay any money for it...

Yeah, still free (apparently backordered...did not know) but takes up extra space. Plus the kits just float around the hospital. Also, shoelaces and nice scrub techs...

That's what the med student is for. If the scope is emergently necessary for something (rare), they can get their hands on one in the hospital. It's just not necessary to have one in every patient room as it's rarely used. But I've gotten texts from my resident asking if I could bring in my scope the following day to look at something in a patient.

Has that been worth the price? Or are you going into something that you'd use it even more? It was something that I had thought would be neat to have but didn't see when I'd use it. Must say, I haven't missed it so far, but maybe I've just missed some opportunities...

 

[Ismet]

Has that been worth the price? Or are you going into something that you'd use it even more? It was something that I had thought would be neat to have but didn't see when I'd use it. Must say, I haven't missed it so far, but maybe I've just missed some opportunities...

We were told to buy one in MS1. And we used it for all our clinical stuff in the first 2 years, including stuff with SPs/OSCEs. People got away with sharing them, but I just wanted my own to avoid that hassle. I've only brought it in a couple times in 3rd year. We needed an ophthalmoscope for newborn service in addition to the couple times I've brought it in on request.

It also looks good on you to have supplies for your team to use if they need it. I don't carry around my tuning fork or reflex hammer on medicine rounds, but it's in my bag in the team room if the necessity arises, and it has. Yeah an oto-ophtho scope is pushing it, and I don't bring it with me, but I can bring it the next day if necessary. Anyway, I wouldn't have bought it if the school hadn't told us to. Which is what I said in my first post, to check if OP's school requires one.

 

[chasm-e-baddoor]

don't listen to the clowns saying that textbooks are useless and are for squares. dont discount them until you find out the best way you learn. that said you dont need to buy the whole gamut because you likely wont have time to read all of them.

If you want to use some scholarship money on textbook I'd recommend a physiology book, a pathology book, and anatomy atlas at the very least to start. your library should have these though.

 

[Dave89]

Don't buy an ophthalmoscope. You're not going to be able to perform an adequate exam with one anyway - there's a reason why ophthalmologists dilate many (if not most) of the patients they see. Also, chances are that when you do need to do an eye exam, there will be an ophthalmoscope nearby.

But getting a cheap otoscope from Amazon is probably a good idea.

 

[Ismet]

Don't buy an ophthalmoscope. You're not going to be able to perform an adequate exam with one anyway - there's a reason why ophthalmologists dilate many (if not most) of the patients they see. Also, chances are that when you do need to do an eye exam, there will be an ophthalmoscope nearby.

But getting a cheap otoscope from Amazon is probably a good idea.

Most otoscopes are sold with an ophtho head for not that much more money.

 

[charmiedermie]

I was recently awarded a local scholarship for "supplies" associated with going back to school. They need a list of things to order, as they will not cut me a check (first thing I asked). I had already purchased a 2 in 1 laptop and recently received a stethoscope as a gift.

Any suggestions for things I will actually use in med school?

Do not buy any medical equipment - otoscope, ophthalmoscope, etc. You'll get better school deals when your course starts and many times it is included in financial aid in total COA. Get the review books in PDF and free print them out at school and then bind them if u use them.

My list:
Desk
Comfortable desk chair
Lamp
Shelves to hold your books
Noise cancelling headphones
The latest First Aid
Specific smartphone apps - Epocrates, etc.
Medical dictionary
Step 1 Qbanks + NBME self-Assessments
Maxwell Quick Medical Reference

That's a good start

 

[ortnakas]

Do not buy any medical equipment - otoscope, ophthalmoscope, etc. You'll get better school deals when your course starts and many times it is included in financial aid in total COA. Get the review books in PDF and free print them out at school and then bind them if u use them.

My list:
Desk
Comfortable desk chair
Lamp
Shelves to hold your books
Noise cancelling headphones
The latest First Aid
Specific smartphone apps - Epocrates, etc.
Medical dictionary
Step 1 Qbanks + NBME self-Assessments
Maxwell Quick Medical Reference

That's a good start

Good point on the discounts. If you do want to use it to buy medical equipment, maybe see if you can wait until your school actually starts? Even if you don't need the equipment once you're on rotations, you very well may need it in an H&P class first and second year; your call on if you want to spend less money from Amazon or more money through Welch Allyn/etc.

 

[Mr DebtAnatomy]

Any chance they could just put it toward your inevitable step 1 fee? That thing is massive.