allheart has about the best prices I've seen. I love mine, but I don't use it much. to the poster who wondered about better scopes coming out when they "get older,"
I've had mine for about 10 years and the Master Cadiology is still "the" scope out there. Hard to improve upon perfection.
I will
STRONGLY caution all of you
against wearing your scope around your neck. Do
NOT do it (I did for years and learned the hard and expensive way...). Not only because some nutty patient could grab it and drag you down to them with it, and not only because you can catch it on things about chest level (IV tubing, etc), but
most importantly because the oils from your skin hardens the tubing over time. I have (had) a neonatal Littman that was worn around a neck for several years and now the tubing is cracked in several places. There is a nifty clip you can buy from most uniform stores and sites that clips to the waistband of your pants that holds your scope neatly. Or buy a few of those "pajamas" they make for scopes, but you have to remember to take it off or push it way up when you are doing your exams. Can you imagine the number of bugs those things could be harboring if you didn't? I'd recommend getting a couple and switching them out and washing them frequently.
The Master Cardiology *is* "the" scope IMHO, but another thing to remember is that if you are even considering peds or neonatal as a career choice, don't spend the money because they don't work for little ones (the "adapter" is awful). Also, many, many facilities are moving away from your own scopes and putting one at every bedside, we just did...and I had purchased a new Littman Neo (because of the cracks in my other one) about one month before. Lastly, most folks aren't in need of hearing the intricacies of S4, pansystolic murmurs or diastolic rumbles, we aren't cardiologists. If you are going to do ICU, ER or Cards, maybe... But you need to consider all those things especially if money is tight. Here's a link to a comparision chart on Littmann scopes :
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/allhe...tmannspecs.pdf
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. I hear BP's so much better with the cardiology stethoscope. In addition, I find you can hear lung and bowel sounds better.
I got the Littmann lightweight SE II to replace, but with this experience, nothing beats the acoustic quality of the Master Cardiology...Once you go MC, you can't go back....I just got a new MC from allheart.com, had it engraved, and imma hang on to it and never let go!!
