The stethoscope is perhaps the most abiding symbol for the profession of medicine. Doctors wear the instrument around their neck like a badge of honor and go about diagnosing patients easily. For medical students however, buying a right stethoscope is always a challenge as neither are they experienced enough to need only the best of the lot nor do they often have money to afford the best. Even though, choosing and using the instrument is something medical students should take some care with so that the task of auscultation could become easy for them.
Here are some helpful stethoscope tips for medical students –
Choose the right stethoscope
Medical students should also have a right tool for the job as having a cheap stethoscope means getting poor sound profiles. Low-priced instruments may be good for those with young ears but it will surely not for those whose hearing is not that perfect. Naturally, students looking for a full range of sounds for diagnosis purposes can’t do without a quality stethoscope for sure. So, they should never look to bypass quality even with budget crunch.
Choose a stethoscope for acoustic quality
For medical students, the first criteria in choosing a stethoscope is to go for acoustic quality. The device must deliver clarity and crispness of sounds so that hearing to even faintest of internal body sounds is never a problem. They should look for features such as tunable diaphragms, sound reduction technology, soft eartips and long tubes to ensure optimum performance with the stethoscope. They shouldn’t look to save a few bucks and compromise on quality.
Know the need and then buy a good instrument
Not all medical students would be needing only the best stethoscope as it entirely depends on the purpose of use. For example, whether you work in a nosy environment or examine pediatrics will have a say in the type of stethoscope needed for the job. Similarly, whether you want to listen to high frequency sounds or low frequency sounds or both together, could also be a criteria in selecting a right equipment for auscultation.
Get your ears clean, and hearing checked
If you ears are not clean, you might not be able to judge the true acoustic quality of a stethoscope. So, it would be great if you buy the instrument only after the ears are cleaned. Similarly, you need to save the device from having its earpieces clogged with lint and dirt. You need to take care and disinfect the stethoscope after regular use to minimize risks of infections.
Know your budget and check the price of stethoscope
For medical students, budget is a big consideration when they look to buy a stethoscope. But they should not worry as online stores list together models and brands from all parts of the world. So, chances of stumbling upon a good scope is higher provided they search the web thoroughly. They can easily check littmann stethoscope price in India and know why the brand is leading the domain for years.