You know someone who is graduating from medical school, and you already have your eye on a high-end stethoscope that you think will make the perfect present. While the stethoscope will make a lovely gift, a lot of other people will likely have the same idea as you, and you’ll likely end up bringing a duplicate. Even if you are the only one to bring a stethoscope, you might want to go the extra mile to make graduation even more special by offering another gift that’s more unexpected.
Here are some of the top tools that a recent medical graduate may need that many people might not think of right away:
Safety Glasses
Not all medical students become doctors. Some go on to do research, helping to create medications that cure or treat the illnesses that other doctors diagnose. Some become doctors but then do research at the same time. In either scenario, they end up spending long hours in a lab, and a good pair of safety glasses is essential.
A gift certificate for some prescription safety glasses — or the glasses themselves if you can get their prescription — is a great choice also. Many people wear glasses, and wearing safety glasses over those can be cumbersome. The prescription safety glasses allow them to see their research precisely without wearing a lot of gear.
Pocket Protector
Pocket protectors have gotten a bad rep over the years as the darlings of nerds and fastidious types. But they are highly useful items for doctors, who need to keep pens handy at all times but who also wear expensive lab coats that they need to protect. Without a pocket protector, doctors will put pens in their white coat pockets, only to risk them bleeding ink all over the pristine fabric. That is ink that won’t get out, no matter how much bleach is used.
Choose a stylish pocket protector and pair it with a nice pen for a thoughtful gift.
Comfortable Shoes
Doctors are on their feet all day. Occasionally, they sit down behind a desk to consult with patients about test results or to fill out paperwork. However, they spend the majority of their day walking from room to room and standing up to talk with and examine patients. All that walking may be good for the heart, but it’s terrible on the feet.
Give your recent grad a pair of comfortable yet stylish shoes that will keep their feet feeling great even after a double shift. If you aren’t sure the of the right shoe size, just give a gift certificate to a store that carries the right brand. You might even put a picture of the shoes you had in mind inside the card with the gift certificate.
A Massager
Doctors may be doing great work, but they are also doing stressful work. They see patients who are not feeling their best or behaving their best. They spend long hours on their feet. They deal with endless hassles involving insurance and bureaucracy. After a single day at work, they can feel tense and tired. A good personal massager can help them relieve some of that tension and relax.
Choose a massager that has multiple speeds and that can be used on different parts of the body, such as a wand that can reach the back and the feet. You can also spring for a gift certificate to cover a couple of massages with a professional for when deeper tension relief is needed. Some massage clinics even offer monthly memberships that include a free massage and discounts on other services.
Graduating from medical school is a momentous occasion. The grad has gone through four arduous years of study and is about to embark on more intense training and a difficult career. It’s important that you give the grad a gift that not only honors the commitment they have put in but that also makes the next stage of their life a little easier. These are just a few ideas for what your recent med school grad might need, but there are many other options depending on the preferences of the grad and the person’s future specialty. Think outside the box!