Christmas Gifts

Anyone have any gift ideas for a soon to be med student?

[Meenah]

A really good stethascope, with his name engraved so noone can steal it!!!
Luanne

Before he started school this fall, I got my bf a new backpack (one with a laptop compartment for his new computer) so that he could lug around his med school books everywhere!

Other good ideas I heard were a stethescope as Luanne said, a med terms dictionary, subscriptions to medical magazines (like JAMA), books (How to Survive Med School, etc.), a palm pilot.

Hope this helps!
Sharon

Just thought I would add to the discussion and agree that a stethascope would be a VERY appreciated gift.

If you really want to get something he will LOVE for years, try getting him a Littmann Master Cardiology. They are expensive ($150-$200), but I know a few companies that have promos where you buy one and they have a "kit" that comes with it that has some nice pocket goodies. He would never need another stethascope. Of course, there are the otoscope and ophthalmoscope sets ... but those run around $350 for a decent set .

You mentioned his was soon to be in med school ... well then books ... any type of anatomy or physiology text will get used! My suggestion for anatomy would be Gray's Anatomy and Netter ... Both are gold standards and he should have them eventually. I wish you were asking for graduation from med school gifts ... I have ton of suggestions for that

Aisha

Aisha,

I'll take your suggestions on med school grad gifts? Even tho, it's a long 5 1/2 months away, I suppose I should be thinking about it.

Thanks

Dures

Dures -

What speciality has he applied to? OB/GYN, IM, FP, Peds, Surgery ... each has a classic "text" ... for instance, for Peds it is the Harriet Lane handbook out of John Hopkins. Some of the different programs will give him a book allowance, but one nice solid text on his choice of careers is a nice touch. So let me know which speciality and I can tell you the "text" to have .

There is lots more, but I gotta run now ... will write again later

Aisha

[Cumberland]

What about a PDA? My husband uses his all the time.

[DCJenn]

Dures-

I got my husband (boyfriend at the time) his school ring from medical school as his graduation/birthday/Christmas present that year. He was really psyched about it. I ordered it sight unseen from the bookstore on campus. It's gorgeous!

Jenn

[Meenah]

My husband and I are the "oldies" here, but he got his stethascope in med school, and has had it for 17 years!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luanne

Aisha & Jenn-

Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn't thought about those... hmmm... good ideas. I will have to add that to my non-existant list.

Aisha,

As for his specialty, he's doing his PGY-1, then Neuro. So, I guess I've got a year to buy the Neuro textbook. Though, I think I'll have to pick your brain on this the closer we get to May 23.

Dures

[Meenah]

And that is 17 years of practice, plus med school,internship and fellowship!!!!
Luanne

Ah yes, the Harriet Lane. The Bible of Pediatrics. I remember when we bought it.

I will echo the recommendation for a PDA. My husband might as well be surgically attached to his PDA. He's already worn one out and is on his second one. A new stethoscope is a really nice gift, too.

But honestly, my husband prefers to get gifts that are completely NON-medicine related. He says that he spends enough of his mind and energy on medicine, so he'd rather get gifts that aren't from that arena. For example, he's all about receiving DVD sets (i.e. Band of Brothers, Farscape), new accessories (sunglasses from Eddie Bauer, a new watch), and really good food (gouda cheese, smoked salmon). I've told him that I'm going to get his med school diploma framed as a gift one day, but it just hasn't happened yet (my grad school diploma is at my parents' house and I've never even seen it!). So don't feel like you have to get him something medical. He's going to have to get that stuff anyway, so maybe he'd like something fun instead.

[DCJenn]

I framed his diplomas as a birthday gift- I framed all of his diplomas- high school, his two AA degrees, his bachelors and his MD. I figured that they all factored in to his being able to get his MD so they were all equally important. (I have my high school diploma framed next to my BA and MS in my office, too- after all the HS diploma took twelve years! The BA only took four and the MS only took one and a half!)

He loved it. I had them hanging in his office when he got home from work.

Jenn