Hello bikaner-ga!
What a thoughtful and interesting question! I hope the following is
helpful to you in your decision of the perfect medical school
graduation gift for your sister. I am presenting you with a variety of
gift ideas and vendors. I have listed serious gifts, fun gifts, formal
gifts, informal gifts, decorative gifts, practical gifts, etc.
Some things to keep in mind:
1. During residency, residents do not usually get their own offices.
Some gift ideas you may want to file away for residency graduation.
2. People graduating medical school tend to be in a lot of debt.
Practical gifts are always a welcome treat, as that is both thoughtful
and helps the graduate save money.
3. Engraving/personalizing gifts is a very nice way to make the gift a
beautiful keepsake and reminder of both a wonderful person and a great
accomplishment.
Gift Ideas for Medical School Graduates
1. A Doctor’s Bag
This is one of my husband’s favorite gifts. A classic black beautiful
leather doctor’s bag holds all of your medical equipment and notes and
personal items and is very handy, yet professional looking.
Price Range: $60-150 (and some sites offer bags at closer to $400, but
I know that’s pretty high)
Websites: There are a variety available online, but one of the ones
offering nice products at very reasonable prices is
http://www.osteopathicequipment.com/products/docbags/docbags_001.htm
This site is also offering FREE SHIPPING!
Personalization IS available—ranges from $4-7
For other sites, go to www.google.com and enter “doctor’s bag” as the
search terms and you will get a variety of sites. I’ve checked some of
them out and believe that the one I’ve listed in one of the better
ones for value and price. I would even go so far as to call it a very
good deal.
2. Hippocratic Oath Plaque
This is a plaque showing the Hippocratic Oath in the original Greek.
It is a beautiful silver plaque that is available in two sizes, priced
$75 and $160. It is available at
http://www.religious-icons.com/nonreligious/flhippoath.html. This
company does not offer any personalization that I could find, but the
item could be engraved at a trophy or plaque shop.
I did a few searches (Hippocratic + oath + plaque, Hippocratic + oath
+ gift, Hippocratic + oath + frame) and all of them showed this
website at or near the top of the search results. It is a beautiful
gift and my husband has seen it in a few offices during medical school
rotations. It adds a touch of class to any office.
3. Medical Symbol (“Caduceus”) Pin, Charm, Necklace, etc.
Search Terms for Caduceus Jewelry:
(Caduceus + jewelry + gold)
Another great idea is some piece of jewelry with the Caduceus (staff
with snakes medical symbol) shown on it. There is a beautiful pin or
charm available at http://www.specialty-jewelry.com/spec-med.htm. It
is 14k gold and has a small diamond in the center. It’s priced at
129.95, a little pricey, but very nice if your sister enjoys jewelry.
They don’t mention personalization on this site.
Another site to find a similar item is
http://www.gwensjewelry.com/pag/pag3.htm. The charm is $82 at this
site, but does not have the diamond, but it is still a nice gift. They
mention personalization but you will have to contact them directly to
determine how large the charm is and what type of engraving would be
available.
One other site you could try is http://www.jewelryfaire.com/Medic.htm.
They have a variety of medical professional jewelry in gold and
sterling silver. They even have Caduceus charms that have the letters
“MD” on them. This is the first site I’ve found with this type. Most
other sites have charms without letters or with nursing designations.
The prices range from around $10 to $25 depending on the item. They do
not mention engraving or personalizing on the site.
4. Sculpture
Search Terms for Caduceus Sculpture/Medical Statue:
(Caduceus + sculpture)
The site http://www.med-psych.net/doctor-gifts/desk-top.html has a
number of nice desktop items with the Caduceus etched or sculpted into
them. There is a sculpture for $45, paperweights for $35 to $75,
including a paperweight that is specifically described as a
“personalized” gift, plus other nice gifts.
There is also a very large (12 m x 9 m) bronze sculpture of Caduceus
by James Muir that sells for a little higher than your price range
(about 2.5 million dollars) if you feel like splurging!
http://www.sculpturecollector.com/catalog/detail.cfm?itemid=1086.
There is an auction at Ebay.com for a statue of Mercury carrying the
Caduceus. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2853303029&category=20154.
It is currently going for $125 and closes in a little over 2 days. It
could be a nice gift to decorate a doctor’s office someday.
5. Artwork—Norman Rockwell Prints (or something of that nature)
This is one of the gifts I got my husband from our children. He and I
both have bachelor’s degrees in the Humanities; so getting art prints
with a medical theme is a great way to blend interests and
specialties! I ordered 2 of Norman Rockwell’s “medical” prints—“Before
The Shot” (see http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/ui--0CD28697A3C6407CB459FC473F2E8047/PD--10074067/Before_the_Shot.htm)
and “Doctor and Doll” (see
http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/ui--0CD28697A3C6407CB459FC473F2E8047/PD--10074396/sOrig--CAT/sOrigID--8801/Doctor_and_the_Doll.htm
).” I ordered these from www.art.com and they arrived pretty quickly
and then I had them matted and framed (I used the green color from the
boy’s mittens and the girl’s clothing to match the matte and both are
framed in a pretty black wood). They look very professional and add
character as well.
Getting them matted and framed could take a while depending on how
busy the store is. Should you decide to do something like this, you
may want to check that out as soon as you can. Or give your sister a
print out of the prints with a note explaining that she’ll be getting
a really nice matted and framed piece later. Places like Joann’s
fabric and Michael’s often offer 40-60% off their custom framing (be
sure to check their websites). And if you would like to order from
www.art.com, I found a coupon for you for 15% off at
http://www.edealsetc.com/flowerdeals.html?source=overture.
The price range on this varies according to size and number of prints,
matting, framing, etc. the good thing is you’re in charge!!
This is something that can’t really be engraved, though you could add
a metallic mini plaque to the bottom of the frame with names and dates
and things like that.
6. Foreign Language/Favorite Hobby Eye Chart
This is a really unique item—so unique, you can really only search for
it under specific search terms related to exactly what you’re looking
up. You know the medical eye charts with the big “E” at the top? My
mother-in-law saw one once (at an eyeglass shop) with Japanese
characters. This would be a perfect gift for my husband who speaks
fluent Japanese. So, this example is very specific to the individual.
You might get one that has to do with a favorite hobby of your
sister’s or something of that nature.
And if you’d like to stick to the standard black and white eye chart,
you can buy one at http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-0323180-8160109?asin=B00007JWOZ
Price: $30
Personalizing isn’t available through the vendor, but again, you can
add a mini plaque at a local trophy store/Things Remembered store.
7. Medical Fun Package
This is a you-do-it-yourself customized gift. You can put it together
as a basket or box of gifts or better yet, fill a medical container
such as a doctor’s bag or emesis basin. You can get as creative as you
want with this. I’ll give you a bunch of ideas here to get you going:
BOOKS—medical themes and authors, novels, handbooks, intern guides,
etc.
A Piece of My Mind: A New Collection of Essays from JAMA, The Journal
of the American Medical Association
House of God
by Samuel Shem, John Updike (Introduction)
The Man Who Grew Two Breasts: And Other True Tales of Medical
Detection
by Berton Roueche (Paperback - May 1996) (whole series by this author)
Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal
by Rachel Naomi Remen (Paperback - August 1997)
A Not Entirely Benign Procedure: Four Years As a Medical Student
by Perri Klass (Paperback - July 1994) I believe this one is written
by a woman and mother
Learning to Play God: The Coming of Age of a Young Doctor
by Robert Marion (Mass Market Paperback - April 1993)
The Intern Blues: The Timeless Classic About the Making of a Doctor
by Robert Marion (Paperback - September 2001)
First, Do No Harm
by Lisa Belkin (Mass Market Paperback - April 1994)
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
by Anne Fadiman (Paperback)
Becoming a Doctor: A Journey of Initiation in Medical School
by Melvin, Md. Konner, Melvin J. Konner (Paperback - July 1988)
The Intern Pocket Survival Guide
by Thomas M. Masterson (Paperback - January 1992)
The Washington Manual Internship Survival Guide
by Tammy L. Lin, et al (Paperback - April 2001)
Classic Cases in Medical Ethics: Accounts of Cases That Have Shaped
Medical Ethics
by Gregory E. Pence (Paperback)
The Med School Survival Guide : How to Make the Challenges of Med
School Seem Like Small Stuff
by Jennifer Danek M.D.
Kill As Few Patients As Possible
by Oscar London
Becoming a Physician: A Practical and Creative Guide to Planning a
Career in Medicine by Jennifer Danek, Marita Danek
Rotations
by Robert Marion (not as highly recommended)
Intern
by Doctor X
Anything by Robin Cook, Michael Palmer, etc. Both of these authors
have written numerous medical fiction thriller novels. Robin Cook has
a book (his first one, I believe) that is semi-autobiographical called
Year of the Intern and discusses his experiences as a new resident.
You can find most of these books at local bookstores, www.half.com,
www.amazon.com, etc. and these books range from $2 to $50, depending
on where you look. I recommend www.half.com for good deals.
MOVIES
You can put together a bunch of videos and DVDs such as (thank you to
my colleagues for their assistance in compiling this list):
Patch Adams
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
House Calls
M*A*S*H
Young Doctors in Love
Coma
Gross Anatomy
The Snake Pit
Crazy People
Doc Hollywood
Extreme Measures
The Doctor
Hospital
What About Bob
Awakenings
Outbreak
Playing God
Wit
The Man With Two Brains
Dead Ringers
Island of Dr. Moreau
Girl, Interrupted
Doctor in the House
Doctor at Sea
Doctor at Large
Carry on Doctor
Carry on Matron
Fantastic Voyage - journey in a microscopic submarine through blood
vessels of a patient
http://www.foresight.org/Nanomedicine/Gallery/FanVoy/
Lorenzo's Oil
GAMES
Cranium
Cranium Booster Sets
Operation
MUSIC
Scrubs (TV show) Soundtrack (excellent album, by the way)
Dr. Demento (play on words as well)
Again, it’s a creative package, so you can have a lot of fun with it
and put whatever you want in it!
8. Engraved Wristwatch
This is a gift that my husband received from his parents. And he wears
a watch everyday. Doctors have to check their watches A LOT, so this
is a near-constant reminder of your thoughtfulness. And this fits many
of your parameters, as you can get this right away at most any
jewelry/department store without having to order online necessarily,
you can have it engraved (and most places are willing to expedite the
personalization to help you out), and you set the price range (and
finding a nice one in the range you indicated shouldn’t be a problem).
9. Personalized Picture Frame
This is a very thoughtful and personalized gift. I found a website
that specializes in specialty frames that you create. They create
frames for all occasions and you can customize yours from scratch! It
looks like a lot of fun as well! And they add that most frames ship in
24 hours!! Perfect!
http://www.1stframe.com/
Price Range: $30-$46
Personalization is inherent in this special gift. Your sister can use
it to display a picture of herself in her cap and gown or anything
else that strikes her fancy. And YOU create it!
10. Framed Lithograph of College Campus
http://www.allgraduationgifts.com/catalog.cfm?dest=store&storeid=14&csvd=14543040
Framed lithograph of the college campus (they have over 300 from which
to select)—there is quite a selection on presentation, including one
that also displays a diploma and personalization IS available.
Price Range: $120-200
Those are my 10 “formal presentation” ideas. You said you’d appreciate
more than 10, so here goes:
Personalized pens (doctors do LOTS of writing)
A prescription pad holder/PDA holder ($20-50) and that’s available at
http://www.osteopathicequipment.com/products/docbags/docbags_001.htm
(same site listed for the doctor’s bag)
Anything that gives her a well-deserved and well-needed vacation, such
as a day at the spa, airline tickets someplace, train tickets, hotel
stay, attraction tickets, concert tickets, etc. Believe me, she’ll
appreciate it!
A human skeleton (not my favorite idea and I’m glad my in-laws opted
against getting one) or skull or other such thing
A stethoscope (see my colleague pinkfreud’s comments below, as she has
provided websites and great reasoning for such a gift—she’s right on
about them getting “borrowed” often)
A relaxation kit—custom make your own kit with things like massagers,
bath oils, candles, etc. I promise you, she can definitely use it in
residency and it will be a welcome break!!
Exercise equipment—this is also handy to have at home during the busy,
busy time of residency medical training! You can also do an exercise
kit with things like yoga tapes, yoga mats, jump ropes, etc.
Gift certificates to restaurants and fast food restaurants—you can get
a variety of these ($10 at one place, $20 at another, etc.) to give
your sister a treat out to a number of different places. This helps
her out financially and helps her be able to eat while maintaining a
hectic (sometimes amazingly so) schedule.
Religious art prints, quotes—again, this is specific to your sister’s
beliefs and likes. You can get pictures of Jesus healing the leper,
scriptures about healing, quotes about the “Master Healer,” or
Buddhist sayings, or images/quotes specific to her particular religion
A donation to a charity in her name—she sounds like a very loving and
happy person. Perhaps she is very passionate about some kind of cause.
This is a charitable option for gift giving that she may appreciate as
a way to celebrate her accomplishment.
Another practical idea is paying for a year’s worth of pager or cell
or high-speed Internet service or something like that to help her out
with practical costs associated with being reachable.
A more involved but thoughtful gift is putting together a scrapbook of
medical school memories, including pictures, snapshots, ticket stubs,
grade reports, exams, notes, e-mails, journaling, a list of all her
classes/grades/professors, rotations/preceptors/hospitals, etc.
Money—this is an extremely practical gift, especially if she is half
as in debt as we are!! Student loans for medical school tend to run
high, so money is always a welcome help! Like my mom says, it’s the
right size, right color . . .
A thoughtful gift that we’ve done for various occasions is to make a
“100 Things We Love About (insert name here)” list. You can print it
up on medical-themed paper or adorn it with stickers or medical
graphics. It’s also an amazing introspective activity to sit and write
that many things and it’s surprising how easy it often is to come up
with items for the list. It is ALWAYS well received and very
appreciated.
And I’ve saved these 2 ideas for here:
A Tribute—As I sit and type this answer, I have to the right of the
computer monitor a beautifully framed tribute to me from my husband
thanking me for my support of him. It’s printed up with a very pretty
font and it has a watermark of a doctor’s bag and stethoscope behind
the beautiful tribute. I cherish it.
A Book of Advice from Patients to the new Doctor—this is the gift I
got my husband, and many of his colleagues’ spouses told me that they
wish they’d thought of it. I secretly e-mailed about 100 of our
friends and family asking them what advice they would like to give the
new doctor. I compiled all of the responses into 5 categories—Bedside
Manners, Rx and documentation, Medical Humor (there are A LOT of
medical jokes available online), Office Management, and Waiting Room
and Patient Rooms—and made a book out of them. I wrote a very nice
introduction from our family in the front of the book and included
medical graphics and fun fonts. He treasures this special gift. It is
well worth the time investment for such a neat compilation.
As you can tell, there are a lot of fun, creative, and thoughtful
things you can do. The point is to do something special that is
thoughtfully from you and celebrates well such wonderful
accomplishments. When my husband got accepted to medical school, I
wrote a nice note and gave him a Sesame Street toy doctor’s kit. All
along the way, we celebrate each and every accomplishment. It’s a
wonderful way to enjoy life!
You have less than a week, so some of these options may be too labor
intensive and with some, you may have to opt for higher shipping
rates. Again, if you really like a particular idea and time is the
main obstacle, you can always write a nice note explaining the gift
and give it to her later when it’s all complete.
You are right that I am very excited about this topic. I love creative
gift giving. When my husband took board exams in medical school (about
halfway through), I threw him a big surprise party—friends in scrubs,
latex gloves as balloons, a CD mix of medically-themed music, and a
several course meal dinner menu of medically-titled foods, including a
“Hippocratic Loaf!” So, if you decide you’d like to throw her a
creative party, I’ll be happy to give you some menu ideas!!
While yours is a fairly subjective question, I’ve tried to give you a
wide variety of suggestions and creative gift ideas. I hope they help
you out. I know how it feels to want to give something very, very
special to honor such a huge accomplishment. I hope that these ideas
help you and help to generate even more ideas (for residency
graduation, etc.). I will continue to list things in the comment
section as we hear back from friends from medical school as well as
colleagues from the residency program. If you need any help or further
clarification, or if you have trouble with any of the above links,
please let me know. This is a very fun question and we appreciate
being able to help you out!
Best wishes and happy shopping!!
Boquinha-ga |
