MINDSALAD

220611. it’s all finally becoming real.

So we just got sent our Orientation Week schedule for med school, and boy I am PUMPED! But one of the decisions to be made is, which stethoscope to buy? 

To my surprise, apparently these little snake-looking metal piece range from $200-400. Apparently, to make you feel like you’re getting value for your money, 3M Littmann has employed the ”customizability” marketing strategy. i.e. You can get your name engraved into it (because apparently people at the hospital steal your shit), and you have the option of about 6 different colours. Interesting note, people tend to wait until they get the “Dr.” title before engraving. Man, medical students are pretentious.

And as dumb as this sounds, I feel somewhat conflicted about what colour to choose! Ideally, I’d like the purple one. But the fact that people mistaken me for a 17 year old deters me from that option. Even last week when I was thinking about dying my hair brown and I was forced to rule against it given that black looks more mature. Then in my CPR class the other day, everyone was taken aback when I mentioned I need the course for med school. “You look so young!” they all exclaimed. If only I had a dime for every time someone said that to me.

So what do you guys think? Does personality trump professionalism? Is it okay to buy the purple over the black? Is it okay to dye my hair brown?