What to buy a First Year Medical Student

[Stacie]

Hi - I have a sister who will be attending her first year of medical school this year. What are some good gift ideas of things she will need for her first year of medical school? Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated. Right now she is planning on going to The Chicago Medical School (Finch). Although she is still waiting to hear back from a school in Nebraska.

Thanks for any ideas!!!

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[Starflyr]

An invaluable gift that I got for graduation before med school was a good medical dictionary. I got Dorlands, but there are others like Stedmans that are also good. If you dont want to get her something practical like a dictionary, maybe a gift certificate for a massage or 2 - one that doesnt expire too fast. Um....

I wouldnt buy her a stethoscope, but if you give her a gift of the stethoscope of her choice, that would be good. A gift certificate to the bookstore, maybe?

OOH, here's a good one...a good backpack. Those books are HEAVY. Check out Acadamy or some similar store that sells internal frame hiking backpacks.

Most of these things will cost $50-$150...I hope that price range is close to what you were thinking.

Star

 

[Future_Doc]

My wife bought me a stethescope when we found out that I was accepted. It isn't a top-of-the-line type, but it will do. And, it sure got me pumped-up and ready!

 

[mpp]

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/102-4855419-7119303" target="_blank">Atlas of Human Anatomy</a> by Frank H. Netter.

 

[surg]

I would second the Netter anatomy atlas. Every medical student needs one.

Otherwise some others things to consider:

restaurant gift certificates for some place close to her school, especially if they deliver. Med students often don't get to cook a lot when they are studying for exams. (Price=you decide)

Along those lines: a certificate for a cleaning service to visit her apartment once or twice would also come in handy.

Or to get a medical thing:
A student subscription to the New England Journal of Medicine. She won't understand a lot of it initially, but it's a good first journal for people who aren't decided on a specialty yet.
(Price: about $40 for 1 year)

 

[dingiswayo]

i second the vote for the new england journal. great gift...

 

[doughboy]

I second the backpack idea. Maybe a new jacket for those chicago winters?

 

[proffit]

The Lancet...much less dry than NEJM but still a serious academic journal.

 

[H&P-Stat]

How about a long white coat embroidered with her name followed by those two letters, M.D. She won't be able to wear it for a while, but it might provides some inspiration and give her something to look forward to. Just a thought.

 

[oldman]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by H&P-Stat:
•How about a long white coat embroidered with her name followed by those two letters, M.D. She won't be able to wear it for a while, but it might provides some inspiration and give her something to look forward to. Just a thought.•••••most schools have a white coat ceremony where they receive a white coat.

 

[oldman]

one of my friends who is in med school bought me a disection kit and some tuning forks used for neurological testing.

 

[Zeffer]

How about just a plain white lab coat to wear in labs? All of these gifts are expensive. Here is a few less expensive ideas:
1) A disection kit ~$11-$15
2) Some 3 ring binders to put her class notes in
3) Cheap Scrubs from Wal-Mart for anatomy lab
4) Gift Certificate to the Med School Book Store

Hope this helps.

As for the Netter Anatomy atlas; I would make sure that is the anatomy atlas that the school uses. Also don't forget to ask your sister if there is anything in particular she wants.

 

[H&P-Stat]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
•

most schools have a white coat ceremony where they receive a white coat.•••••Yes, but they give out short white coats that get tossed after graduation.

 

[oldman]

or...better yet, sneak into the locker room/clean room at a hospital and snag a pair of scrubs. it'll be like stealing a street sign. illegal..yet cool

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Zeffer:
•How about just a plain white lab coat to wear in labs? All of these gifts are expensive. Here is a few less expensive ideas:
1) A disection kit ~$11-$15
2) Some 3 ring binders to put her class notes in
3) Cheap Scrubs from Wal-Mart for anatomy lab
4) Gift Certificate to the Med School Book Store

Hope this helps.

As for the Netter Anatomy atlas; I would make sure that is the anatomy atlas that the school uses. Also don't forget to ask your sister if there is anything in particular she wants.•••••

 

[oldman]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by H&P-Stat:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
•most schools have a white coat ceremony where they receive a white coat.•••••Yes, but they give out short white coats that get tossed after graduation.•••••well, i don't think you should wear a white coat that says MD on it...until maybe after graduation by then you'll have tossed away that white goat...er coat you got at the ceremony.

 

[Zeffer]

or...better yet, sneak into the locker room/clean room at a hospital and snag a pair of scrubs. it'll be like stealing a street sign. illegal..yet cool-Oldman

LOL!!!!!!!!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

Isn't your sister Audrey? What if she sees this thread? Has she decided for sure Finch and not NYMC? Or are you just another Stacie with a sister named Audrey who got into Finch? :wink:

Anyway, for a gift how about new clothes? She'll need warm clothes for Chicago in general and professional clothes for visiting patients.

 

[windsurfr]

A silver cross pen is a good idea.... you can get it engraved if you wish

 

[Starflyr]

I wouldnt get her a netters - she'll be able to get that for free when she signs up with AMSA, if they run the same deal they did last year, at least. Also, it'll just get all nasty and disgusting in anatomy lab.

Star

 

[oldman]

you are ruining someone's suprise!

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Doctora Foxy:
•Isn't your sister Audrey? What if she sees this thread? Has she decided for sure Finch and not NYMC? Or are you just another Stacie with a sister named Audrey who got into Finch? :wink:

Anyway, for a gift how about new clothes? She'll need warm clothes for Chicago in general and professional clothes for visiting patients.•••••

 

[XenoXplant]

I second the Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy. It's great!!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
•you are ruining someone's suprise!

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Doctora Foxy:
•Isn't your sister Audrey? What if she sees this thread? Has she decided for sure Finch and not NYMC? Or are you just another Stacie with a sister named Audrey who got into Finch? :wink:

Anyway, for a gift how about new clothes? She'll need warm clothes for Chicago in general and professional clothes for visiting patients.••••••••••Hey, no I'm not! The thread is right here before our very eyes. But stacie, are you premed or a med student? because my sister isn't, but I really want to get her to start posting so she can be addicted to SDN like me. I even registered for her---her SDN name is Foxy's Hermanita

 

[The Pill Counter]

easy - littman cardiology III stethescope

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

From a 4th year to you...

No better than a Littmann Master classic or Lightweight. Not a single underclassman on the planet can tell the differnce in heart sounds!!

Rohen makes a GREAT cadaver atlas! Netter is the standard. Grant's is also a favorite.

A TON of yellow markers.
A decent diagnostic kit is all you will need. A good atlas of pathology/histology is also a good idea.

Earplugs. Headphones. Black, blue and red pens. Travel coffee mug. Backpack.

Is this helpful?? Don't worry about your 3-4 year clinical stuff till you get there.

 

[whoanelly]

Do you recommend hardback or paperback Netter's? Will paperback hold up? Is hardback too heavy? Dilemmas, dilemmas...

 

[dr.evil]

When I was accepted, my friend from work gave me a "going away/med school acceptance" gift that I still have and it's about to finally be for real. It's a granite name plaque that sits on my desk that's engraved with my name followed by M.D.

It was pretty awesome even though it wasn't for real at the time. Kinda reminds you that there's a light at the end of the tunnel when you're studying biochem at 2:00AM.

Other symbolic things are good gifts including a doctor's bag (I don't have one but some friends do), stethoscope (symbolic + functional), engraved pens (same idea as the plaque), clogs (I live in these things so I had to throw that in there), etc.
-------------------------------------------------
Others have provided a good list of items.

Paperback Netters is fine although it will take a beating but if it ever enters the gross lab you'll be glad you didn't pay extra for the hard cover.

 

[johnM]

what's up with all doctors wearing these clogs? are they really that comfortable or something? where do you get em?

 

[lady in red]

what are the clogs? i am living in dark ages..

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

paperback Netter's! Rohen is only hardback.

 

[mcwmark]

There is a hardback Netter's, but you'll be flipping through that Atlas so often it's going to get ragged, so save your money and get the paperback.

A stethoscope is invaluable, and though I started off with a "cheap" one, I eventually bought the Littman Master Cardiology because you really can hear faint murmurs, clicks, yadda yadda yadda better with it.

Rohen was invaluable for Anatomy lab practicals, but I just borrowed my copy from the library.

A pen is a nice idea, but if you're like me, I have to buy (or get free drug rep) pens every week. I'd never use an expensive pen as a pen.

I also have a copy of Harrison's principles of Internal Medicine that has helped tremendously as a reference. It's a big, expensive book, but I found myself flipping through it fairly often my first two years.