So, you’ve landed yourself a new job as a doctor – congratulations! But what items will you need for your new role? 

Stethoscope: 

A stethoscope is a medical instrument used to listen to a patient’s heart beat or breathing 👂  

Most doctors find that having their own stethoscope is essential  

By having your own, you can ensure it fits your ears well, and you are familiar with using it👂 

Once you have found the perfect stethoscope for you, it can be useful to label it to make sure you don’t lose it❗ 

If you know that you want to pursue an acute medical specialty, you may want to purchase a cardio stethoscope – they are usually around double the price of a regular stethoscope but it will be worth the investment 💰  

Quick Summary:

Having your own stethoscope that you are familiar with using and fits your ears well is something most doctors find essential!

Portable phone charger: 

📱 When working as a doctor, you will use your smartphone very often📱 

📱 You will use the calculator feature to work out correct dosage, the internet browser for looking things up, and so on 

📱 As such, you may find that your phone will die during your shift 🏨 

📱 A portable phone charger for charging on the go is useful for any doctor who regularly uses their phone at work 📱  

Quick Summary:

A portable phone charger will be invaluable if you are the type of doctor who likes to use their phone regularly for looking things up, or calculating prescriptions! 

Pocket reference book: 

📔 A pocket reference book can be very useful 📔  

📔 Choosing one for your specialty or for foundation doctors will be extremely helpful 

📔 It can sometimes be easier to simply refer to a book rather than using the internet 🖥  

📔 The Oxford Handbook Series are a great example as they are updated every few years making them up to date and reliable ✅  

Quick Summary:

A pocket reference book for your chosen specialty is the ideal item to have at hand to quickly look things up

Notebook:

📒 Many doctors find that carrying a small notebook with them is useful 📒 

📒 Making a note of any new information you learn at work is important ✍  

📒 If you don’t have anywhere to write these learning points down, you might forget them by the end of your shift 

📒 Try making rough notes in your notebook, and then write them up more neatly elsewhere after your shift to help you learn on the job 

Quick Summary:

A notebook is something you will definitely use during every shift, as making notes to remind yourself of things is essential

Clipboard:

📋 A clipboard is useful for keeping your patient list and patient details with you at all time 📋 

📋 You can also carry paper request forms with you so you don’t have to go and get one when needed 📃 

📋 You can also carry plain paper with you for making notes - this will come in handy all the time 📃  

Quick Summary:

You will undoubtedly find that you have to carry a lot of paperwork with you, and so a clipboard is ideal for keeping it all safe and in order 

Pens:

🖊 You will need a lot of pens 🖊  

🖊 As a doctor, you are constantly on the move and so you will misplace pens all the time 

🖊 Black ink is usually required in most hospitals 🏨 

🖊 Buying a big box of black pens (not fountain pens as they may smudge) is ideal

Comfortable shoes: 

👟 You've probably heard that doctors spend a lot of time on their feet 👟 

👟 In fact, NHS staff reportedly walk about 4 miles every day❗ 

👟 Comfortable shoes are therefore essential 

👟 Many doctors choose black shoes as they look professional and it is easy to find a comfortable design 

👟 If you prefer, orthotic insoles are good for making ordinary shoes more comfortable 👞 

Quick Summary:

As a doctor, you will be on your feet for most of your day, and so you should make sure you can do this as comfortably as possible

Compression socks: 

🧦  You may think these are unnecessary, but you should at least try wearing them at work 🏨 

🧦  The idea is that they improve blood flow and so by wearing them at work, there is less chance of you getting muscle cramps, or aches 🧦 

🧦  Compression stockings are particularly useful if you are standing for hours at a time in surgery 

🧦  Another benefit is that you will be warmer in the winter if you wear them❗ 

Quick Summary:

You know, as a doctor, how important it is to maintain blood flow in your legs and compression socks are the easiest way to do so

Water bottle: 

💧 You know how important drinking enough water is, so don’t neglect to do so yourself❗ 

💧 You will be on your feet and very busy when working as a doctor, so staying hydrated is extremely important💧 

💧 Find a water bottle which you can carry around with you to drink from, and refill throughout your shift 🚰 

Drink flasks:

Keep your hot drinks warm for as long as possible using a flask

You might find that every time you make a hot drink, you are called to an emergency, and so a thermos is the ideal solution❗ 

By using a thermos, you won’t need to worry about them getting cold if you are too busy to drink it immediately

A lid is also a great benefit as it could be dangerous to spill hot drinks in a hospital 🏨  

Quick Summary:

Being called to different cases can often mean, frustratingly, your hot drinks go cold before you get the chance to drink them, and so it is worth buying a flask.

Food containers:

It is much cheaper to bring food from home rather than to purchase it at work 🏨  

Handily, hospitals will always have somewhere for staff to store/heat food 🍪  

Investing in some food containers is a great idea 

Make sure they are microwave safe, this is useful for heating leftovers 

Make sure they do not leak; you don’t want any important paperwork in your bag to get covered in food❗  

Quick Summary:

Save your hard earned money and bring your own food in to work in reusable food containers 

A backpack: 

You can choose any sort of bag for work, but a backpack is arguably the best idea 

They are strong, to help hold all of the other items on this list 💪 

They spread the weight evenly between your shoulders 

They are big enough to fit everything in 

They can be thrown in the washing machine to maintain good hygiene 🚿 

Quick Summary:

Keep all of your belongings together in a sensible work bag that distributes weight evenly between your shoulders

Summary:

1. Be prepared

2. Use this list as a guide

3. Good luck!