M4s: what would you want your friends to give you for graduation?

A good pair of shoes

Mont Blanc rollerball pen

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

My med school debt paid off

Neuro Surg said:

Mont Blanc rollerball pen

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Also, a new pair of cowboy boots

how to stay awake books....

Some sort of "how to manage your finances" self-help book.

You could try something like a monogrammed desk clock. I actually found one on some graduation company website with our med school on the face of it and got it for someone last year.

I don't know if that is too medical related. It was about $100 though which is pricey unless they are really close to you.

Neuro Surg said:

Mont Blanc rollerball pen

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its not a pen its a writing instrument.

Neuro Surg said:

Mont Blanc rollerball pen

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I got several good pens as gifts. Loved the gift until I learned that the half life of a good pen in a hospital is about 1 day. It will be swiped the second you hang up your white coat someplace public. Now I exclusively use bic pens and pharmaceutical freebies. Good pens don't belong in a hospital.

Restaurant gift cards for something in the region where internship is located would have been an awesome gift to receive. A backup stethoscope is also a fairly useful gift (after pens these get stolen/lost the most). Comfortable shoes would be great but are a strange gift to buy a non-relative -- maybe a gift certificate to rockport or merrill or dansko would be cool. Watches/phones with alarms could be helpful. The phone/pda combo (eg an i-phone or blackberry) is an extremely useful gift if the person doesnt already sport one. A portable memory bug is always useful if you end up having to do presentations in residency. Then there's always Step 3 books to buy so an Amazon gift certificate wouldn't be wasted either.

a good bottle of liquor and a box of cigars

Idea 1: A super loaded starbuck's card
Idea 2: A french press, electric hot water kettle, paid membership to a coffee of the month club and a coffee grinder.

Even if they don't drink coffee they will be very popular. It's like giving cartons of cigarettes to your buddy about to go to prison.

One of my friends got a gift card type thing for some commercial maid service where he was. It was intended to be a bit of a joke, but it actually seemed pretty awesome. I'm sure the last thing you want to do with your limited time off is clean.

It really depends how well you know the person though. If it is 50 bucks or less then I'd just say some kind of coffee gift card or something else that is equally useful. I got a 100 dollar panera gift card from someone once since I study there a lot....that was pretty damn convienent.

If you're going for non medical, I would focus on relaxation

Gift Certificate for a spa day/ massage
Bottle of nice liquor is a great idea

Or super useful things
Help with moving (if applicable), pen set, coffee, gift certificate for clothing or book store, PDA or other cool peripheral brain gadget

And of course, all of us appreciate $$$$

.

I asked for:

1. monogrammed white coats (gave the website for which coat I wanted at allheart.com and size)
2. Southwest airlines gift cards
3. Wal Mart gift card

I've bought a friend an iPhone (went into IM) and another Danskos and two books (went into surgery). Both of them loved the gifts.

Depends on the person. I think keeping it practical is better, and I'm not a big fan of perishable gifts (dinner, cruise, etc). I like suggestions of gift certificates to bed bath/book stores. I have another friend this year and was thinking of getting him an espresso machine since he's enjoyed the one I have (but would need a grinder too and that nearly doubles the price!). Maybe I'll do nontradfogie's suggestion of a french press instead. Or the clever coffee dripper with a good grinder.

Industrial strength alarm clock would be my first choice.

Some of my starting med school gifts included a french press, coffee, sbux/ target/restaurant giftcards, an alarm clock, and the best was lots of $$. Though for starting residency $$ sounds like a good ideas, esp when I start getting those loan repayment letters

hrandani said:

Industrial strength alarm clock would be my first choice.

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Sonic Bomb

I have this thing. It is the least pleasant way to wake up that I know of but at least I don't sleep through it.

Practitioner said:

I've bought a friend an iPhone (went into IM) and another Danskos and two books (went into surgery). Both of them loved the gifts.

Depends on the person. I think keeping it practical is better, and I'm not a big fan of perishable gifts (dinner, cruise, etc). I like suggestions of gift certificates to bed bath/book stores. I have another friend this year and was thinking of getting him an espresso machine since he's enjoyed the one I have (but would need a grinder too and that nearly doubles the price!). Maybe I'll do nontradfogie's suggestion of a french press instead. Or the clever coffee dripper with a good grinder.

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I can't believe no one has commented on the fact that you bought your friend an iPhone. WOW!