Physical Diagnosis

You do not need to buy an otoscope, opthalmoscope, blood pressure cuff, or stethoscope before you arrive. However, you will be asked to purchase these during the first week of class, so plan your finances/financial aid accordingly as these items will run a couple hundred dollars. It is likely that the representatives from several companies will be visiting campus during your first week of class and will offer you an opportunity to test out equipment, ask questions, and decide which is best for you. Other items that you will likely need for this class include a reflex hammer and a tuning fork, both of which are available at the bookstore at a reasonable cost.

Anatomy

The Class of 2011 has a collection of dissection materials, Grant’s Dissector Guides and Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy books that we purchased from the Class of 2010. These books are for your reference in lab only. You will likely want to purchase your own Netter’s Atlas, but you should not need to purchase your own copy of Grant’s Dissector. For lab, you will also be using a dissection kit, available for purchase at the student bookstore downtown. While some students prefer to have their own kit, typically each lab group of five students can share 2-3 dissection kits.

You will also need scrubs, a knee-length white coat, closed-toed and closed-heeled shoes and non-latex gloves to wear during anatomy lab. There is no reason to get fancy with your scrubs or lab coat; check Goodwill or Walmart for the cheapest options, as you will be happy to throw them away at the end of the summer.

Books

You do not need to purchase your books before you arrive on campus.  You may purchase your books through the bookstore downtown or online. You will find a list of books that you need at the Bookstore Website: http://www.webmedbooks.com/musc/coursebooks/courseSearch.aspx.  (This site will not be updated until shortly before summer semester starts.)

We also encourage you to ask your big brother or sister about which books are most relevant and which you could get by without purchasing.

Other Scrubs and Coats

During orientation, the Class of 2013 will organize a fitting for hip-length white coats and scrubs. These white coats will be worn during Physical Diagnosis class sessions that involve simulated patients, when shadowing professors and when volunteering at the student-run free clinic, CARES.  Scrubs will be worn during certain lectures when the class determines they want a unified look, when shadowing professors and more commonly during rotations in the second year. You are always welcome to wear these scrubs during class, too. These purchases are not required, but are highly recommended.