Medical Equipments

[Medinfo]

Hey Everybody.

I'll be starting at Ross this May. I was wondering how important are the following items for the first semester?

-Blood Pressure Set
-Littmann Lightweight Stethoscope
-256 and 512 Tuning forks
-Buck Neurological Tendon Hammer
-Taylor reflex hammer
-Pocket Eye Chart, Penlight
-Ophthalmoscope and Otoscope
-White lab coat with ID holder

Besides would it be wise to buy all of them BEFORE arriving to Dominica? Can we buy it from students already on the island?

Thanks for all the suggestions in advance!

Medinfo

[bevo]

prob need a current 1st semester to answer that.


I know I used my stethescope once in my 1st term and nothing else. But DPS has since changed since then. So my answer is, I doubt it, but you might want confirmation from someone who knows better than I.

[MitchDC]

When I was in 1st semester we didn't need them, however as Bevo mentioned, DPS has changed. It is my understanding that they have wanted to start introducing basic exam skills as part of the DPS course. You will need a white coat for the white coat ceremony and the University will provide you with an ID holder for your ID.

MitchDC

Hey Everybody.

I'll be starting at Ross this May. I was wondering how important are the following items for the first semester?

-Blood Pressure Set
-Littmann Lightweight Stethoscope
-256 and 512 Tuning forks
-Buck Neurological Tendon Hammer
-Taylor reflex hammer
-Pocket Eye Chart, Penlight
-Ophthalmoscope and Otoscope
-White lab coat with ID holder

Besides would it be wise to buy all of them BEFORE arriving to Dominica? Can we buy it from students already on the island?

Thanks for all the suggestions in advance!

Medinfo

[michigander]

You can get the same package from Steele's in southern Michigan . They service the Ross Account. They have a website and free shipping I believe. So youre better off buying them here the pricing is better, thus you can afford better instruments for less money. Another really competitive place is Redding on the east coast in Va.

Careful, dont buy any cheap plastic set scope set. In 5th, Dr. F said well probably need to replace those cheapies they arent good enough.


Another thing, you dont need instuments until later semesters, you dont need them in 1st. So dont panic to buy them till youl need them.

[futuremd2b]

I've looked around and the cheapest place by far is allheart. No one else even comes close. I got a stethescope for $6 from there. :shock: Not the best one I've seen, but definitely the cheapest and it'll do for now :wink: And if you want a name brand, you can get the littmann lightweight for like $30 or something (wonder what BIG charges for that?). Just don't buy from from the Ross bookstore because they'll rip you off :twisted:

But I don't think you need all that stuff right away, so see if you can find something used from students or share in the meantime.

[Medinfo]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. It will be wise to wait till my second semester (or later) to buy most of the other med equipments.

[MitchDC]

You still haven't heard (at least publically) from a current first semester student. Before you show up possibly unprepared, I'd wait to hear from them.

MitchDC

[FoxTrot]

You will not even use them in 1st semester at all in the DPS class. Right now it's being run by Dr. Sharma and all we've done all semester is just learn how to do case writeups. But things may change next semester though, so I can't tell you about that.

[medNoir]

I used used my steth and BP on the trip with Salybia the charity health clinic. Took BP and pulse in the initial contact with each patient.

[michigander]

What a post a Stet for $6 that is junk for sure

You need a really good stet for Sem 5 Look on the Steele site or Redding Medical. Equipment like WelchAllyn 97200-C Diagnostics Set and a good Stet like even consider a Littmann Master Card Stet like the 2160. You can really hear good with that device.

The rest of the stuff cheap is probably Ok except for the blood pressure device expece to spend about 75 for that.

Again, dont buy junk That junk your telling about is not adequate for those cheap prices. the Welch Allen is about 365 and the Stet Littman is about 130. So you can see youl beat that Ross price and have good stuff with this advice.
Shop the net for these, Avoid buy that kit on the island, its really prepared by Steele's outfit in southern mich. and its a priced high on the island.

[futuremd2b]

michigander,

I agree that people can get good stuff, but I can't understand why they need to spend more money for the same exact thing (same model #, brand, etc.)??

And with the $6 steth, I said it was the cheapest, not the best. If you're starting 1st sem soon and don't have loans yet, but want a cheap steth just in case you might use it once or twice in the sem to check bps, spend only $6 for an adequate steth and you can buy a better one later. If you want a good one or a name brand for first sem, which I don't think you need yet, you can find littmanns at allheart for as cheap as $30. The Ross bookstore sells the same ones for way more.

They also has the Littmann master cardios for those that want the best. But they have the cheapest prices compared to anyone else. So why would you send people somewhere else to spend more money on the same exact thing, which they probably won't really need until later semesters? If you don't believe me, please check out the Steele site or any other, and then check out Allheart and you'll see the price differences. I'm just trying to save people some time and money since I've already wasted both of mine, so you can learn from my misfortunes :wink: But if you find a better deal, please let us know.

[michigander]

My point is dont buy any junk.

Youre going to have to use this stuff Sem 5 out in the Hospitals in front of Physician and yes, yes, in Miami on that physical exam. Here in Miami everything counts. Dr. F. commented on thes inferior instruments students brought to Miami. Youl surely want a good set doing that Physical exam in Miami----trust me on that one.

I dont really care if its AllHeart or whomever, get on the net and get a good set, dont buy that bag in Dominica. You can type in the exact model you want and save a bunch on the Search. I gave those Make and model as an example, those are the kind of quality youre looking for in my opinion.

[MitchDC]

I agree with Michigander, when you buy your things, but the good quality EENT kit. The "economy" kits are just really poor quality.

-M

[michigander]

Its defenitely not a problem if you dont have instruments for first sem. Lots of instuments on the island borrow one of them. Its not like youre going to be flunking or be unprepared. Plain not so.

[atth]

hi!

I'm looking to buy a set for 4th semesters. Are the welch allyn 2.5v pocetcopes good enough or should I buy the other sets that are 3.5v?

thanks!