What's a good watch for a doctor

[CLS]

So my brother is preparing to take the STEP 1 (one his first major exams in Med School is my understanding). I would like to get him a watch as a gift; my first thought was an old pocket watch I could fix up, and I got to looking and apparently Elgin made a pocket watch with a "doctor's sweep second hand". They seem to be pretty rare/pricey, and a pocket watch may not even be that practical? (Granted, it's going to be more of a gesture, whether he actually uses it in his practice or not...) Then of course in terms of practicality, they probably want something they can easily clean and sanitize....

Any thoughts on a nice watch? Ideally something relatively "vintage", pocket or wrist

[rogart63]

A Speedmaster with pulsation grade tachy would be the top notch alternative? 

But a Seiko 6139-6022 would be ideal? Borrowed from google. 

[NMarsh]

As a medical student myself I would agree with rogart63. I have been really wanting a wristwatch with the base 10 pulse grading. There are a bunch of different brands that make them, some much older and less showy as the seiko pictured. I fell in love with this base 30 medical wrist watch that I saw on Instagram a while back.



A pocket watch is an awesome gesture, but it wouldn't really be of much use. Our pockets are already stacked full of papers, pens, stethoscopes, books, and snacks. I would fear that anything too nice would get damaged pretty quick.

Wish your brother luck, and tell him that there is much greener pasture on the other side. 3rd year is much more enjoyable than the first 2 years of medical school, even if you have to take step 2 afterwards. And be understanding that the stress the month before that test is miserable. I studied roughly 15 hours a day, 6 days a week for a month.


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[RyMoeller]

I second the Speedmaster suggestion although any watch with a sweep second hand would serve a doctor well.  I do have a soft spot for Gallets though.  A model was produced for just about every conceivable need.

[anilv]

To be honest, a doctors watch will have a hard life, these are the key requirements

1.

[Douglas1701]

This might work...its not expensive anyway....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Soviet-RARE-Vintage-LUCH-watch-Doctor-medical-Pulsemeter-Hybrid-movement-/252770519683?hash=item3ada4c0a83:g:GF4AAOSwux5YU8hU

[anilv]

My earlier post was sent in error, here's what I wanted to say!

 

As a gesture, anything will work and a pocket watch is nice. But as a working doctors watch, well it'll have a hard life, I would imagine these are the key requirements

1. Accuracy.

2. Have a chronograph. Pulsations is not really necessary.. most of the guys I know in the profession just take the pulse for 10 seconds and x 6... usually a wall clock is used!

3. Be able to take knocks

4. Waterproof, not only water but chemicals, bodily fluids.

5. As you've mentioned, easily cleaned and case should be of chemically stable materials, I foresee frequent washing with strong soap as a result of #4.

6. Cheap... I believe that in some procedures watches and jewelry are not allowed so watches will be taken off frequently, increasing the chances of getting lost.

7. Easily readable at glance.

Based on the above I would imagine something like a swatch chrono (steel) would be ideal, the strap can be changed out frequently as Swatch has them everywhere.

However if the recipient is a watchfreak, I would go with Rogart's suggestion. The 6139 chrono is cheap enough and can be made reasonably water-tight.

  HTH

Anil

[oldhippy]

Doctors watches are banned in hospitals in the UK for fear of them carrying germs. 

[NMarsh]

Doctors watches are banned in hospitals in the UK for fear of them carrying germs. 

Have they banned neck ties yet? At least those have been shown in some studies to cause unnecessary germ exposure. I honestly don't know what I would do in the hospital for time if I didn't have my watch.


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[ro63rto]

Doctors watches are banned in hospitals in the UK for fear of them carrying germs. 

They should also ban the use of ties, outdoor shoes etc but they don't.
Also should integrate the door opening switch with the hand gel dispenser, that way the dirty sods that don't use it are forced to. Too many don't bother.

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[CLS]

16 hours ago, Douglas1701 said:

This might work...its not expensive anyway....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Soviet-RARE-Vintage-LUCH-watch-Doctor-medical-Pulsemeter-Hybrid-movement-/252770519683?hash=item3ada4c0a83:g:GF4AAOSwux5YU8hU

Thanks Douglas I'm checking the soviets out now

[CLS]

21 hours ago, NMarsh said:

As a medical student myself I would agree with rogart63. I have been really wanting a wristwatch with the base 10 pulse grading. There are a bunch of different brands that make them, some much older and less showy as the seiko pictured. I fell in love with this base 30 medical wrist watch that I saw on Instagram a while back.



A pocket watch is an awesome gesture, but it wouldn't really be of much use. Our pockets are already stacked full of papers, pens, stethoscopes, books, and snacks. I would fear that anything too nice would get damaged pretty quick.

Wish your brother luck, and tell him that there is much greener pasture on the other side. 3rd year is much more enjoyable than the first 2 years of medical school, even if you have to take step 2 afterwards. And be understanding that the stress the month before that test is miserable. I studied roughly 15 hours a day, 6 days a week for a month.


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To what does base 10 and base 30 mean? I thought maybe it referred to the math being based on 10 but I can't see how that works for the base 30 watch shown above

[NMarsh]

To what does base 10 and base 30 mean? I thought maybe it referred to the math being based on 10 but I can't see how that works for the base 30 watch shown above

Pretty much you count 10/30 beats of the heart and whatever the number on the pulse tach nearest the second hand is the pulse. So on the base 30 watch that I posted I would count 30 beats, and say the second hand was pointing at the 5 o'clock marker. That would make the pulse 72 bpm. Does that make sense?


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[CLS]

makes perfect sense, so would a 30 be a little more accurate/precise than the 10?

 

[NMarsh]

More accurate definitely. But will also take long. Most cases now a days the patient will have a pulse-ox on that will read pulse and you would just read the screen so accuracy isn't really needed, primarily because he likely won't ever actually check and count a pulse.

The only time he would be checking a pulse manually, will be in emergent situations. In which case you likely need the fastest way to asses pulse which would be base 10. The only other time he will be checking pulses would be in extremities to just check for the presence of a pulse rather than the rate.


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[CLS]

More accurate definitely. But will also take long. Most cases now a days the patient will have a pulse-ox on that will read pulse and you would just read the screen so accuracy isn't really needed, primarily because he likely won't ever actually check and count a pulse.

The only time he would be checking a pulse manually, will be in emergent situations. In which case you likely need the fastest way to asses pulse which would be base 10. The only other time he will be checking pulses would be in extremities to just check for the presence of a pulse rather than the rate.


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Good point! That makes me think, I could be a smart alec and give him one without a second hand. I don't think they include seconds in T.O.D. records do they...wouldn't really convey a vote of confidence tho


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[rogart63]

Russian Belarus ELEKTRONIKA watch. Doctor, medical. Pulsemeter. Chronograph

This one was a little funny? Not sure it's relible? 

[rogart63]

yeeeee

[RyMoeller]

3 hours ago, NMarsh said:

More accurate definitely. But will also take long. Most cases now a days the patient will have a pulse-ox on that will read pulse and you would just read the screen so accuracy isn't really needed, primarily because he likely won't ever actually check and count a pulse.

The only time he would be checking a pulse manually, will be in emergent situations. In which case you likely need the fastest way to asses pulse which would be base 10. The only other time he will be checking pulses would be in extremities to just check for the presence of a pulse rather than the rate.


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You must be thinking of  that fancy SOCIALIST healthcare.  Here in Callie-fornia the doctor still uses an inflatable cuff and a wall clock.  No kidding. 

[NMarsh]

You must be thinking of  that fancy SOCIALIST healthcare.  Here in Callie-fornia the doctor still uses an inflatable cuff and a wall clock.  No kidding.  [emoji3]

That's when you know your doctor is getting paid by the hour ha.


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