When looking for a gift to give to a new medical student, follow this simple rule: stick with functional and useful gifts rather than the funny and gimmicky gifts.
After my white coat ceremony, several of my classmates received presents from family and friends. I received a book of quotes and stories meant to inspire doctors. A friend got a tie with a skeleton design while another classmate got a mug with a joke about medical students. Years later, I can say that the book I got, while appreciated, was never read and I’m pretty sure it was donated during one of our many moves during our medical training. As for the funny tie and joke mug, I don’t think they ever got much use either.
When asking yourself what to buy for a medical student, try to put yourself in the shoes of a medical student. What would you want if you sat in lecture halls and libraries all day or worked in hospital wards for long hours only to spend the rest of your time studying for upcoming examinations? Medical school is a long and grueling test of endurance. Cute inspirational books or funny t-shirts and clothing may seem like a good idea for a gift, but what medical students really need are things to help make their day to day lives a little easier and a little better.
Here is my growing list of things I think medical students would very much appreciate and would actually use. This list is more useful than unique; it is more functional than funny.
Stethoscope: A stethoscope makes a great gift for two reasons, every medical student will need a stethoscope, and by giving your medical student this gift early on, you will know that the stethoscope will find good use throughout their medical school career and into residency and beyond. Please note that medical students are encouraged to buy stethoscopes early in their medical school career and some schools provide each student with a stethoscope so check with your student that they do not already have one. With so many choices available, for the doctor in training, I suggest the all purpose Littmann Classic III. Read my complete review of the 3M Littmann Classic III Stethoscope 
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Stethoscope Tag ID: This is often overlooked, but it is a very inexpensive way to customize your stethoscope and protect it from getting lost or stolen. While the Tag ID itself is less than $10, once you get the tag, you can get a customized engraving of up to 14 characters for another $8 which you send in with the paperwork found with your stethoscope tag. This is a great way to customize that first stethoscope. Check out Amazon for pricing on the Littmann L2170 Adult's Stethoscope ID Tag Black One Size
Instant Pot: I know Alanis Morissette would find it ironic that students learning to take care of and heal others often neglect to take care of themselves. The human body can take the toll of instant ramen and fast food for only so long. Give the gift of delicious, healthy, and hot meals with the Instant Pot. If you are unfamiliar with the Instant Pot, I consider it the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. Not only is it an electric pressure cooker, it is a super fast cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker and more! I love being able to throw a few ingredients in this magical device, set it, forget it, and then have a delicious meal waiting for me at meal time in my Instant Pot. Check out current pricing at Amazon for the Instant Pot DUO60.
If your favorite medical student needs something smaller, the mini version of the Instant Pot is great for making servings for 2-3 people. Check out Amazon for details and pricing on the Mini Instant Pot Duo 3 Qt
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Instant Pot Cookbook: I am finding that more and more people own Instant Pots but the power of the pot goes untapped as the owners just don’t know what to cook or they are afraid to use a pressure cooker. There are good websites and videos available that will teach you how to make some quick and delicious meals. But if you don't have the time to wade through all the blogs for a good recipe, a cookbook is the solution. There are some great books, but there are a lot of bad books out there too. Make sure not to fall for the amazing 4 star reviews, many of the highly rated books are filled with fake untrusworthy reviews. In another post, I'll teach you how to easily determine whether a review is legitimate. The book with the best trustworthy reviews that I recommend is The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook: Fresh and Foolproof Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker which is sure to get your medical student cooking and eating yummy and healthy meals.
Alarm Clock: I have always used my smartphone as my alarm to get me out of bed. This changed when I received a Philips Wake Up Sunrise Simulation Alarm Clock during a dark time in my life (literally). Because my schedule required me to wake up at 5am, I found myself having a hard time getting up each morning. Getting up in the pitch dark to some preprogrammed annoying alarm tone on my phone was painful. The Philips Wake Up Alarm made waking up each morning a much more pleasant experience, gently arousing my senses with a warm glow that gradually brightens to get me ready for another great day. Check out pricing on Amazon for the Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with Sunrise Simulation and Sunset Fading Night Light, White (HF3510).
White Noise Machine: Going to bed and staying asleep is just as important as having a good alarm clock to get you up in the morning. Get a good night’s sleep by drowning annoying and disruptive noises in and around your home with a good white noise machine. A white noise machine is especially helpful when you are working overnight shifts. If you find yourself battling to stay asleep after an overnight shift at the hospital because you have young kids at home or live in a noisy neighborhood, this is a great solution. Then when you have babies of your own, this is a great way to keep the noises of the house from waking them. Check Amazon for more information on the LectroFan High Fidelity White Noise Machine with 20 Unique Non-Looping Fan and White Noise Sounds and Sleep Timer.
A Good Pillow: All medical students wish they could spend more time in bed. The ADJUSTABLE Loft Bamboo Memory Foam Pillow - Kool-Flow Micro-Vented Bamboo Cover is made of hypoallergenic shredded foam. This pillow is adjustable for the perfect size and firmness with just the right amount of squish and support. Most importantly, it is machine washable so that you can occasionally wash away all those tears (of sorrow and of joy) that accumulate in your pillow each night. Read more at Amazon about the ADJUSTABLE Loft Bamboo Memory Foam Pillow - Kool-Flow Micro-Vented Bamboo Cover.
Audible membership: If your medical student spends time commuting, an Audible membership is a great way to bring joy to an otherwise monotonous daily task. I love Audible and have listened to hundreds of books. It is the most used app on my phone and it is truly a treat. If you happen to dislike a book for any reason, the return process is super easy, just requiring a few clicks on the computer. I also firmly believe that by being somewhat “well read,” I was able to strike up good conversations during rotations, residency and job interviews which helped me develop rapport with others. Truly, Audible has brought me immense entertainment and education and I highly recommend this as a gift to any loved one. Get a gift membership to Audible or even try a free trial membership for yourself.
A professional and useful everyday bag: For the medical student looking to upgrade from the backpack that got them through undergrad and the first two years of medical school, my favorite everyday bag to use during the clinical rotations of medical school and residency was from Timbuk2. The Timbuk2 Command Messenger Daypack is a perfect blend of utility, durability, and professionalism. I love the way this bag performs and it is the perfect size to carry the textbooks, notes, and other gear you will need for your clinical rotations. Its professional look is a huge improvement over my old JanSport pack and the Timbuk2 is classy enough to take on interview trips. Check out the current prices and styles available on Amazon.
As I stated at the beginning, this list is far from complete and I will continually update and add to it. Please let me know what your suggestions are in the comments.
