mentor gift ideas

[europeman]

help. i need a gift idea for my Surgeon Mentor who has helped me through this process for the last few years. AHHH! need ideas help! graduating soon!

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[Castro Viejo]

help. i need a gift idea for my Surgeon Mentor who has helped me through this process for the last few years. AHHH! need ideas help! graduating soon!

What does he like? Hobbies? Collectibles? Rock Band?

 

[Dr. Dukes]

What does he like? Hobbies? Collectibles? Rock Band?

One track mind?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

maybe get him a nice desk pen from the program you match to.


You could always get something generic like a tie from your current medical school.

Really the thought counts more than the actual gift.

 

[Pilot Doc]

budget?

$10
$25
$50
$100

Wine or liquor is always a good choice
shutterfly does some fun stuff - you can get him a magnet made with a picture of him in scrubs, etc

 

[Castro Viejo]

Well if your mentor is anything like the crackerjack surgical faculty I had back in med school, then he probably wouldn't be too appreciative of any stuff from your new program since he'll feel as if you rejected him. I know, I know... It sounds stupid, but some surgical faculty at certain places are that egomaniacal.

And the picture of him in scrubs on a magnet? I dunno. Seems a little, uh... Well I'll leave it at that. 🙂

Anyway, you usually can't go wrong with something "sophisticated," like a fancy pants pen, a bottle of fancy pants wine, to wash down the aftertaste of that fancy pants cigar.

Even if the surgeon you're talking about doesn't like that stuff, I'd bet that he'd accept it with great pleasure anyway just to show that he can run with the big dogs. He may even be flattered that you thought enough of him to think he likes that kind of stuff. Just be wary of his religious practices as that may preclude him from certain vices such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigars, and cashing in that gift certificate at the local nudy bar.

Good luck.

 

[europeman]

Thanks for the advice:

Info: My budget is about $100

My mentor is a female surgeon, who does not smoke.

Fancy pen is a good idea, but I'm trying to be a bit more creative.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks for the advice:

Info: My budget is about $100

My mentor is a female surgeon, who does not smoke.

Fancy pen is a good idea, but I'm trying to be a bit more creative.

Woot!

All you guys with your "manly" suggestions: pens, cigars, pictures of him in scrubs and its a female surgeon.😛

Far be it fro...heck, it is ME to tell you what to do. $100 is a LOT of money to spend and would likely make your mentor feel uncomfortable. I know that I appreciate small gifts from students and patients but if I got something that cost anywhere near $100 I'd feel a little strange about it.

I dunno...obligated? Awkward? Hit on? I cannot say exactly what my reaction would be, but I would feel compelled to insist you take money and spend it on yourself rather than me.

If you don't know of any hobbies, good neutral gifts are:

- gift certificate to book store or restaurant - she reads and eats presumably
- fruit basket (www.ediblearrangements.com does nice work) that the
office can share
- an engraved business card holder (if she doesn't already have one);
www.thingsremembered.com

Yes, boring, but all of the above are always appreciated and don't look too expensive.

 

[MossPoh]

Ok, it isn't a surgeon, but with my mentor, I just hand wrote a nice note thanking him for the effort and time and mentioned how much I appreciated everything. Then I got a nice bottle of scotch...nothing crazy, but nice. (He was a scotch drinker) Wine is almost always a nice gift too, if they don't drink wine, it will most likely still get used with guests or significant other. Also cheaper than scotch. One of the cooler gifts a student gave me when I was their TA (random I know, but I guess I'm just that sexy) was a starbucks gift card. It is simple and applicable. I don't even drink much coffee, but the few times I have that card was useful!

$100 is quite a bit of cash, most people just like to feel that they were appreciated and that you were aware that they sacrificed something for you (even if they really didn't...just humor them.)

 

[gizzy]

I have gotten personalized christmas ornaments that were physician related (it was cute and fun, probably b/c I am not doc yet). Anyway...
Doctor Gifts (http://store.toplinegifts.com/dogiandco.html)

 

[Pilot Doc]

You can get a gift certificate for an introductory flight lesson for under $100.

Agree the picture of you on a magnet idea was a little dorky. But they do calendars, coffee mugs, etc. If you can find a picture you like, they can put it on some knicknack.

Agree with the artist formerly known as KC that $100 is maybe little steep. I think the time and thought put into the gift will say much more than the price.

Maybe a cool scrub cap with a nice note?

 

[SocialistMD]

Maybe a cool scrub cap with a nice note?

That's what I did.

 

[ESU_MD]

do not spend alot of money. it makes you look like some kind of stalker or something.

another idea- a book written by or about a doctor, along the lines Atul Gawande complications or the newer one. or even some related small textbook you can find on ebay or amazon pretty cheap

 

[Castro Viejo]

a book written by or about a doctor, along the lines Atul Gawande complications or the newer one. or even some related small textbook you can find on ebay or amazon pretty cheap

Oh, God... I would NOT insult your surgeon mentor with that crap A-Tool Gawande writes.

🙂

 

[europeman]

haha. she *HATES* atul! that's funny.

i actually just read his book complications, it was a fun read.

a personalized scrub cap seems cool. where would i get those?

not that i would necessarily spend $100, i'm just saying that's my limit. this mentor has been there for me for over 4 years though! so we have a long relationship. she's written TONS of letters for me for various things, helped me out on tons of stuff, helped me get my names on manuscripts, etc. so it's actually not THAT high of a limit i think. wow, actually over 4 years now that i think about it.

 

[Castro Viejo]

haha. she *HATES* atul! that's funny.

Most surgeons would recognize that Gawande is a schmuck.

i actually just read his book complications, it was a fun read.

I have to admit. I gave him a chance. Others had said he was a schmuck before I read "Complications." Then I picked it up and read it during a long-a$$ flight to somewhere in Europe and I was shocked at just how easy it is to get a writing award.

What makes his book any different from the ba-jillions of other physician books out there?

It's the same story over and over again. Physician wants to help people. Loses himself in the process. Then reflects on what an a$$ he was to most of his patients. Makes amends. Becomes a better doctor.

Wasn't there a movie like this? I think it was actually called "The Doctor."

 

[Pilot Doc]

a personalized scrub cap seems cool. where would i get those?

http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/

 

[Winged Scapula]

Most surgeons would recognize that Gawande is a schmuck.

I have to admit. I gave him a chance. Others had said he was a schmuck before I read "Complications." Then I picked it up and read it during a long-a$$ flight to somewhere in Europe and I was shocked at just how easy it is to get a writing award.

What makes his book any different from the ba-jillions of other physician books out there?

It's the same story over and over again. Physician wants to help people. Loses himself in the process. Then reflects on what an a$$ he was to most of his patients. Makes amends. Becomes a better doctor.

Wasn't there a movie like this? I think it was actually called "The Doctor."

The movie starred William Hurt and I believe he had some sort of throat cancer; I saw it when it came out and gosh, that had to have been 20 years or more ago.

I was VERY disappointed in Gawande's book. I too thought it would be different, but I couldn't even finish it. Same old tripe.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

I'll give a shout out to the guy I get mine from. He's off of E-bay market place and makes them to your size. Find out where your mentor went to med school or undergrad and get them some cool scrub hats.

WWW.HOVIHATS.COM

 

[TXSurgResident]

Good bottle of wine.

Says thank you, but not kissing *ss, and affordable on the med student's budget.

Alternatively, ask her secretary if there is something in particular they like and go from there.

 

[taXi]

Oh, God... I would NOT insult your surgeon mentor with that crap A-Tool Gawande writes.

🙂

I am glad to see that not everyone is crazy about this guy. I attempted to read Complications but quickly realized I had not seen such poor writing ability in a long time. Perhaps he is a great surgeon, but he should take a freshman college course on writing.

 

[surgeon2b forev]

What are your mentor's hobbies? Try and get something related to that. Alternatively, get something for her desk.... I don't know, I nice stapler? 🙂

I read complications, and I thought that it was written fabulously! I don't know what you guys are talking about, but the way he was able to convey ideas was awesome. I agree, there are a ton of books like that one; books about a young doctor struggling with their training, etc. BUT it was unique in that it concentrated on COMPLICATIONS in medicine. I thought it was a great book.

Even if you didn't like it, surely it wasn't a crappy crap book. I mean it didn't win so many awards for nothing.

 

[Castro Viejo]

The movie starred William Hurt and I believe he had some sort of throat cancer; I saw it when it came out and gosh, that had to have been 20 years or more ago.

Yes! William Hurt! That's right. And in the end, he decided that each one of his residents or medical students or whoever the hell was following him around should get a rectal exam by another, just so they would know how their patient might feel to have a finger jammed up their butts.

I really thought he was gonna end up doing that chick with cancer and the bald head. They seem to really hit it off... I kept waiting for that, but it never came.

I was VERY disappointed in Gawande's book. I too thought it would be different, but I couldn't even finish it. Same old tripe.

OK, so a whole bunch of us here thought it was junk. Then why did the lay public receive it so damn well?

 

[MossPoh]

OK, so a whole bunch of us here thought it was junk. Then why did the lay public receive it so damn well?

The same reason a lay person watches grey's anatomy or any number of mediocre, and repetive drams, and reads any number of horribly written books on the market. They don't know any better and/or are mentally handicapped....but that implies a mentally handicapped person has as bad of taste as the american public, which is an unjustified thing to imply about the mentally handicapped.

 

[Winged Scapula]

OK, so a whole bunch of us here thought it was junk. Then why did the lay public receive it so damn well?

I dunno...I use to love watching LA Law...which drove my attorney friends nuts because it wasn't realistic. The general public has no idea about what medicine is like, so they think these stories are fascinating.

 

[Castro Viejo]

I dunno...I use to love watching LA Law...which drove my attorney friends nuts because it wasn't realistic. The general public has no idea about what medicine is like, so they think these stories are fascinating.

True that. I loved LA Law. I like law shows and cop shows. Law & Order being one of my favorites!

And there's always Cop Rock. Awesome! 👍

 

[MossPoh]

I dunno...I use to love watching LA Law...which drove my attorney friends nuts because it wasn't realistic. The general public has no idea about what medicine is like, so they think these stories are fascinating.

I suppose a medical or legal drama where the main character sits down and does paperwork for a couple of hours or reads the new literature isn't quite as exciting.

I give props to anyone that makes legal stuff look exciting though...