We are approaching that time of year again: time to prepare to go back-to-school -- or college! Medical students might find themselves needing to undertake a little more preparation than others, due to the amount of equipment they may need.

From technical equipment such as stethoscopes to the more basic requirement of colored pens and pencils, there are some essentials that no medical student should return to school without.

Since this is the first real ‘back to school' period since the start of COVID-19, you might need a handy refresher on what you will need!

First of all - congratulations on earning a place at medical school. That is an achievement that you must be very proud of. Attending with most of the basic pieces of equipment is no doubt going to help you settle in quicker during a time you might be a little apprehensive about!

Perhaps you even know someone who is preparing to go back to medical school - they will surely appreciate a basic piece of equipment to make their education a little easier. It also means they won't need to buy it themselves!

So, let's get started on some of the back-to-school must-haves for med students this year.

• Littmann Cardiology IV Stethoscope. Undoubtedly, you are going to need a high-quality stethoscope during your medical training. This stethoscope comes in a range of colors, and has been developed over multiple generations to provide an unbeatable acoustic quality. It is popular with medical students and professionals alike due to its tunable diaphragms and low sound interference.
• Scrubs! Don't forget that you will be required to wear scrubs when performing most of your medical training. These are the sanitary pieces of clothing that are usually solid blue or green. They help reduce the movement of outside pathogens into an area with patients, as well as providing protection from any fluids you might encounter during your training.
• In a similar vein, you will need medical grade face masks or face shields. These also help to reduce contact with any fluids during medical procedures.
• Moving on to something you may not be required to bring, you might like a pocket diagnostic set featuring an otoscope and ophthalmoscope in one. Conduct basic ear and eye checks easily, as the otoscope comes with a reusable specula.
• This is not necessarily medical equipment, but don't forget to take some comfortable shoes! You will be on your feet for lengthy periods of time during your medical training, so you should keep yourself feeling as refreshed as possible.

Found some inspiration? Still looking for other ideas of things you might need to take with you as a med student? We carry plenty of back-to-school supplies for med students, from blood pressure monitors to tuning forks.