Mike’s Medical School Graduation Gifts Wish List

Writing this page about medical school graduation gifts makes me very happy. I’ll be there in a few months!

As a soon-to-be-graduating medical student, these are the gifts I think I (and most graduating medical students) would really appreciate:

 

Money

With the cost of medical school going up in California and other places, debt is a serious issue. Also,

residencies don’t pay all that much. Getting money to put a dent in that over $100,000 of debt would be a great graduation
gift.

 

Plaques/Frames

You know how when you go into a doctor’s office they always have their degree on the wall. It would be nice to have a great frame or plaque to show that degree with pride. I’m not much for showing things off, but this is one that I think I would. It takes a lot of work to become a doctor! These run from relatively low cost to relatively high cost. However, I would say that most medical school graduates would appreciate a high quality frame for a document they worked four long years to get! There are several companies that make nice frames, including frames that have the school’s logo or even a picture of the school on them. Personally I like the frames with just the school logo, like this UCLA Bruins Spirit Diploma Frame:

If you decide to buy a frame, make sure you contact the school first to know what size the diploma is. They range from 8 1/2 x 11 all the way up to 15 3/4 x 22. Each school will be different but if you call the admissions office they should be able to tell you.

 

Gizmos and Gadgets

More and more doctors are relying on technology to help them do their work. A new ipad equipped with medical apps would be a wonderful gift.

 

While we’re on this subject, a new phone would definitely be a positive. If you’re wanting to keep in touch with this person face-to-face, the iPhone and its face time capability make that easier. Plus it’s just a cool phone with the great camera and ability to tell it what you want it to do. I like the unlocked version personally. I like to feel free!

 

School Memorabilia

I didn’t get a high school or a college graduation ring, but I wouldn’t mind having a medical school graduation ring. Maybe. I would go more for a lapel pin

or a tie or money clipwith UCLA on it.

Some people might go for a license plate framewith their school on it.

Any of these would make great medical school graduation gifts. We’re proud of this accomplishment and want to show it off!

Clothes Make the Man (or Woman)

Now that your graduate is going to be a doctor, he or she will probably like to look good and professional. I didn’t care much about my appearance up until now, but I’m finally starting to (which is a big relief to my wife!).

 

A pair of cuff linksfor a guy

or some diamond earrings for a girl

would be a great medical school graduation gift.

Watches can also be a great gift.

 

Your graduate may also be hurting for some new professional clothes, including shirts,

pants,

and ties

for the guys and dresses/business suits for the girls.

Helping your graduate look like a real doctor would definitely be a great medical school graduation gift!

• Books and Equipment

  • Now that your medical school graduate is going into a particular field, he or she would probably appreciate some literature about that field. A good book about that person’s specialty would be a solid choice. It might be a little tricky to know what books are good if you’re not familiar, but here are a couple of tips.

 

Anything from The Pocket Series by Massachusetts General Hospitalwould be a great choice. Anyone can use Pocket Medicine and there are pocket guides for other specialties as well, including mine, psychiatry.

For internal medicine, Harrison’s
is a great choice.

Other than those, it will probably depend on your medical school graduate’s specialty and preferences. You might want to call and ask what books would be helpful. It does ruin the surprise of your medical school graduation gift, but at least you won’t buy something your grad will never use.

Also, a lot of books are available electronically now, which is a big benefit since medical books are generally gigantic. A Kindle would be a great medical school graduation gift to help keep that library at a size that’s a lot easier to move!

If your medical school graduate is going into pediatrics, they might appreciate some of the many pieces of equipment designed to make medical equipment look less scary. Here are a few examples:

These probably won’t fly if your grad is going into surgery, but they’re fun if they fit your grad’s specialty and personality.

 

• A Vacation From My Problems

  
  • Remember that a medical student does not exactly graduate to be a doctor. They now face anywhere
    from 3-7+ years of residency. Residency is actually even MORE demanding than medical school! Students often have a few weeks to months between graduation and beginning residency. An outstanding gift would be to give your grad a vacation. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but having some time by a beach or in the mountains before school starts could be just what the doctor ordered.

 

 

• Use budget travel companies. I like Payless Car Rental. They’re professional and
  usually you, well, pay less! Check out their specials like Deal of the Hour, Last Minute Deals and Early Bird Specials for special discounts. You can also use CheapOStay to help you book your hotel, flight and rental car for guaranteed low rates. They often have coupon codes and discounts that help you get even better deals. If you’re like me, you’re trying to keep your costs down and these companies will help you do that.

Hopefully these are some helpful ideas for medical school graduation gifts. You can even opt for the free gifts of a phone call or a nice card. Those often mean just as much. Honestly, most grads are just happy that they’re done with medical school. Any gift will just be icing on the cake.

Return from Medical School Graduation Gifts to Medical School FAQ

Return from Medical School Graduation Gifts to Medical School Insider