My wife's a nurse so she bought it. She picked one that was good for an EMT (he been doing it for a few months). That's all I know, sorry.Ohh, which stethoscope are you getting? I recommend the Cardiology III (it is best value for its versitility). I would stay away from the single tube stethoscopes if he's doing anything more than taking blood pressures. If he is really into auscultation (i.e. going into cardiology) then I would suggest a shorter (22 inch) tube vs. a longer tube (27 inch) which is more comfortable for general or surgical use.
The only reason I offer this advice is because I got a stethoscope as a graduation present but had to go buy another because it wasn't a good enough quality for really investigating heart sounds.