Tools of the Trade

Y'all are in for a treat today! I'm going to introduce you to the contents of my "doctor bag!" Yes, I really do have an actual black "doctor bag" that I keep things in when I'm at home to stay organized, but when I go to clinic I just stuff these tools in one of the million pockets I have in my white coat. "Doctor bags" really aren't very popular any more, but I still like mine because it reminds me of the TV show "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" which I watched quite a bit growing up and it makes me feel all official/like a real doctor.

 Here's what I have:

safety pins, alcohol prep pads, ophthalmoscope, otoscope, reflex hammer, tape measure, tuning forks
(starting in lower right corner and moving clockwise) 

• Safety pins: These are used in testing sensory portions of the nervous system ("Can you feel this if I poke you with the really sharp pointy part? What about now, if I poke with the rounded part?"). Also they come in handy if you snap a button off a dress or your pants are too long and need a quick fix.
• Alcohol prep pads: These are used in many instances, but basically the purpose is to get something clean. We use these if we are sharing tools between pairs of people when practicing and also to get marker off our skin after drawing muscles, ribs, lungs, hearts, etc on each other to get a better understanding of where these structures reside in the living person.  
• Ophthalmoscope: We use these scopes to look in eyes. We might be looking for pupillary reflexes, the red reflex (this is what makes red eyes when you take pictures!), at the retina, optic disk, optic cup, veins, arteries, etc. Ophthalmologists look at quite a few more things and fully understand all of the tricks of this tool, but at this point I just know to look for the things I've already listed. 
• Otoscope: Similar to the ophthalmoscope, these are multi-use! As the name implies (oto-), these are used to look in the ears. There are disposable tips in the picture too, which we use so we don't have to sterilize the scope after each use! Doctors also will use this light to look in the nose and in the mouth at the back of the throat (uvula, tonsils, etc) [Say Ahhhhhhh!]. This light can also be used to check pupillary reflexes, but definitely not to look at the eyes because you will gouge the patient's eyes out if you try! 
• Reflex hammer: This tests reflexes, just as the name suggests. This particular one is used by neurologists more than any other specialty, but it does the same sort of thing. The handle can also be used to check some sensory information (Is this cold or hot? Smooth or sharp?).
• Tape measure: Well this measures things. Y'all have seen these before. We may use them to measure the circumference of the head in children or many other things!
• Tuning forks: Well these are used in neurology fairly frequently. But we just used them in our head and neck unit to test for deafness (and to distinguish between conduction and nerve deafness). 

Don't worry, that's not it! There's more....! I also have two stethoscopes. One is for adults, there's nothing particularly exciting about it. The other one is a pediatric stethoscope. I just got it in the mail this week. It's seriously awesome....look!

It's rainbow!!! It also has my name on it (thanks Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Dick!). I'm super stoked about it!


BUT WAIT. That's not all! 

It's a DINOSAUR!! How sweet is that?!
I can't wait to go into the clinic and have this super awesome cover! 

I also have a Dalmatian cover, so I can switch them out! 

So that's what I have in the bag. I also have an eye chart and a few other helpful tools that I keep in my white coat that never make it to the "doctor bag." I'm excited to continue learning about these tools and to expand my clinical knowledge. This week I have my first videotaped interview with a standardized patient. It will be interesting to watch and critique my own patient interactions!

Other than the grammatical error, this holds pretty true!