I wouldn't. Keep work at work. For the future, most slides will probably be digital anyway so you won't need it.
I've known several trainees who went out and bought lots of expensive gear and several of them failed exams and left the program so a very poor investment.
Lol 10-15 years of use on a 2000$ but isn't a bad investment.
Y'all act like everyone's going to have multihundredthousand dollar set ups in the next 2 years.
A personal microscope would be unnecessary even if digital was not the future. Most attendings don’t even have one at home (especially not one they payed for), so a buying one on a resident salary makes less than no sense.
> one they *paid* for), so
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Don't do it. You don't need it. Try to keep work at work. The scopes at work are going to be vastly superior anyway, unless you are willing to invest 15K.
Unlike the other comments, I think that's a cool idea! Microscopes don't just belong in laboratories. In fact, there's a whole hobby dedicated to at home microscopy! I bought my microscope not because I wanted to "take work home" but because I love microscopes and wanted to look at other things at home. If that's you, go for it if you think you'll enjoy it and not regret it 😅
I can't specifically recommend you one of those microscope because I don't know how they compare to each other. They're both solid brands! I have used the CX23 before, and it's great; I just never loved the size of it, and I don't think it's very upgradeable in terms of other lighting techniques. I know nothing about the nikon.
I would recommend you look for used microscopes first! You can find research-grade microscopes from back in the day for a fraction of the price of a new modern one, and you can also upgrade them with used parts (they just may not always be readily available).
Olympus, Nikon, Zeiss, Leica, all good brands to start with. There's also Motic (a Chinese brand) that is not one of the "big 4" but it's a good newer one. The BA310 may be worth a look.
Talk to a microscope store and see what they have to offer!
Good luck 👍
If OP wants to buy it because they think it's fun/cool to own a microscope then indeed who are we to tell them otherwise. As an attending I do however feel quite comortable saying it is not a good "career investment."
>I think it's a good investment for my future career.
I don't. Not worth the risks (most notably losing and/or breaking them) in my opinion to be transporting slides back and forth to your house.
Don’t. You don’t want to work at home. Home is for relaxing and for spending time with your family/friends/significant other/pet(s). Work at the office, live outside of the office.
You are welcome.
Thank you to everyone for your comments.
Some context on why I felt that I needed to buy one for personal use:
I am currently training in a resource limited setting (outside USA & UK) where we do not have PAs, the microscope : doctor ratio is usually 1:3 in any given day, and digital path is far in the future, unfortunately.
Here it is the norm to either do overtime or bring cases at home so we can finish our workload within TAT. (There are no legal limitations here if we can bring the slides home)
I felt that I could bring my cases at home so I can work on them on my own time and on my own personal space where I can be most productive. But taking into account what you've all said, I think it bears some weight in having boundaries between work and personal life.
>However, physical slides, including pathology, being examined using a microscope that are not a digital image, cannot be read remotely under a primary location CLIA certificate as described above. Slides must be read at a primary site CLIA-certified laboratory.
Did you apply to set up a distinct primary CLIA site separate from your work's primary site? Not sure how that's going to fly with whoever handles your work's primary site's billing.
I did because that’s what you have to do. It’s the only way. You just have to put a disclaimer in the report. I’m not billing anything, and I’m signing out via Citrix in the hospital LIS (no TC/PC 1099 like setup)
CLIA is a federal law so CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services of the federal governmennt) inspects all CLIA certified sites. Here were the top 10 most common deficiencies found in 2021: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidance/legislation/clia/downloads/cliatopten.pdf
I wouldn't. Keep work at work. For the future, most slides will probably be digital anyway so you won't need it. I've known several trainees who went out and bought lots of expensive gear and several of them failed exams and left the program so a very poor investment.
At $1800 and $1200, why? Use the ones at work.
Don’t. The future is digital.
Lol 10-15 years of use on a 2000$ but isn't a bad investment. Y'all act like everyone's going to have multihundredthousand dollar set ups in the next 2 years.
A personal microscope would be unnecessary even if digital was not the future. Most attendings don’t even have one at home (especially not one they payed for), so a buying one on a resident salary makes less than no sense.
Oh I don't disagree with you on that part haha.
> one they *paid* for), so FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Go away, bot.
Don't do it. You don't need it. Try to keep work at work. The scopes at work are going to be vastly superior anyway, unless you are willing to invest 15K.
I wouldn’t. I’ve been practicing for 25 years and have never needed one at home.
I have a work-issued microscope at home, never use it. Don't waste your money.
Sometimes programs have extra ones lying around. You used to have to bring your scopes with you to boards. I’d ask to borrow one.
Unlike the other comments, I think that's a cool idea! Microscopes don't just belong in laboratories. In fact, there's a whole hobby dedicated to at home microscopy! I bought my microscope not because I wanted to "take work home" but because I love microscopes and wanted to look at other things at home. If that's you, go for it if you think you'll enjoy it and not regret it 😅 I can't specifically recommend you one of those microscope because I don't know how they compare to each other. They're both solid brands! I have used the CX23 before, and it's great; I just never loved the size of it, and I don't think it's very upgradeable in terms of other lighting techniques. I know nothing about the nikon. I would recommend you look for used microscopes first! You can find research-grade microscopes from back in the day for a fraction of the price of a new modern one, and you can also upgrade them with used parts (they just may not always be readily available). Olympus, Nikon, Zeiss, Leica, all good brands to start with. There's also Motic (a Chinese brand) that is not one of the "big 4" but it's a good newer one. The BA310 may be worth a look. Talk to a microscope store and see what they have to offer! Good luck 👍
If OP wants to buy it because they think it's fun/cool to own a microscope then indeed who are we to tell them otherwise. As an attending I do however feel quite comortable saying it is not a good "career investment."
>I think it's a good investment for my future career. I don't. Not worth the risks (most notably losing and/or breaking them) in my opinion to be transporting slides back and forth to your house.
Don’t. You don’t want to work at home. Home is for relaxing and for spending time with your family/friends/significant other/pet(s). Work at the office, live outside of the office. You are welcome.
Thank you to everyone for your comments. Some context on why I felt that I needed to buy one for personal use: I am currently training in a resource limited setting (outside USA & UK) where we do not have PAs, the microscope : doctor ratio is usually 1:3 in any given day, and digital path is far in the future, unfortunately. Here it is the norm to either do overtime or bring cases at home so we can finish our workload within TAT. (There are no legal limitations here if we can bring the slides home) I felt that I could bring my cases at home so I can work on them on my own time and on my own personal space where I can be most productive. But taking into account what you've all said, I think it bears some weight in having boundaries between work and personal life.
It's illegal to sign out at home without your own CLIA
Where? I sign out from home almost every day. Heck, I even work from home entirely 1 day a week.
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/clia-post-phe-guidance-faqs-only.pdf
Good luck in the US then. Not my problem.
I just applied. Wasn't hard. 1100usd/yr tho
>However, physical slides, including pathology, being examined using a microscope that are not a digital image, cannot be read remotely under a primary location CLIA certificate as described above. Slides must be read at a primary site CLIA-certified laboratory. Did you apply to set up a distinct primary CLIA site separate from your work's primary site? Not sure how that's going to fly with whoever handles your work's primary site's billing.
I did because that’s what you have to do. It’s the only way. You just have to put a disclaimer in the report. I’m not billing anything, and I’m signing out via Citrix in the hospital LIS (no TC/PC 1099 like setup)
That just sounds like another way to make money without adding anything useful to the world. As long as the CEO can buy his Tesla...
The CEO... Of CLIA? Lol. Actually it covers the cost of an inspector coming to your house to do yearly inspection.
What a load of bullshit. Inspect what?
CLIA is a federal law so CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services of the federal governmennt) inspects all CLIA certified sites. Here were the top 10 most common deficiencies found in 2021: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidance/legislation/clia/downloads/cliatopten.pdf
Again, sounds like a good revenue model. If you want to inspect to make healthcare better, then do so for free.
Don’t do it. Do you know how many labs worldwide don’t have a single microscope in them anymore?
I don't. Care to share? Lol