Medical Students - Useful Gifts

[LaLaFlottes]

Sorry to put this here but I know a lot of parents of Medical students see these posts.

DD is currently a first year at Sheffield. She has her birthday and obviously Christmas coming up and I wondered if there is anything relating to her course that might make a good present?

Anything that's maybe not compulsory to have but is really helpful - any idea at all would be very welcome.

Thank you!

To be honest: a gift that’s part of your job/study wouldn’t have floated the boat of my DDs! They wanted clothes or personal items. Not anything to do with studying. My DD1 studied for 7 years but I didn’t buy her books etc for Christmas! Just buy something personal. It’s time to treat someone - or give money and they choose.

Something from Present Indicative
www.presentindicative.com/collections/medicine

Surely like all students they need cash and/ or food? They will know what they need to buy for their course and can probably get it second hand.

Thank you - the reason for asking is with a birthday close to Christmas and then Christmas, and a lot of family asking me for ideas, I thought this could be one other avenue.

She's mentioned perfume and some clothes, and boots - but with Grandparents, and wider family asking for suggestions I thought there might be some ideas as her course is currently the thing she is most passionate about!

@myrtleberry thank you there are some fun things on there - appreciate it.

My DDs didn’t want or need food as presents from relatives.

However money for shoes/boots, a party dress, coats, sunglasses, tickets for bands/festivals, and perfume were always gratefully accepted. Expensive items are always the problem on a student budget. My DDs liked Zara gift cards. Just because students like their courses I’m not sure that can be projected as far as presents when they might really need something else. Plus she’s said she does!

Just a thought. Was in Lakeland recently, and saw one of those coffee machines that go directly into a heated travel cup. Might be good for a commute, caffeine on the go, when time is presumably short.

The thing most medical students I know would want is a subscription to PassMedicine. However, as the first year is free, I think the gift would be a commitment to pay for the next year when the first year finishes. If she already has the free year on the go, though, you could pay for the next.

Oddly books went down surprisingly well with DD, even though she is dyslexic and rarely reads for pleasure.

Lighter books on medicine were useful on placement 'War Doctor', 'This is going to hurt', Do no Harm' and related Amazon suggestions were perfect when in a small market town where the biggest excitement most evenings was yellow label time at Asda. The books then got passed on to others in the placement flat. Board games might also be an option. I don't know if there are any with a medicine theme.

You could also see if there are any dates left on Adam Kay's tour. DD had tickets a couple of months ago and apparently it was very good with lots of medical students in the audience.

Or conference tickets? DD has been to a few (on occasion she has been encouraged to go by friends who want somewhere to stay in London.) She seems to have enjoyed being in room with people further along in their careers than her, with the chance to get to know a bit more about a specialism and also to meet students from other medical schools.

Sadly the Welcome Institue shop has yet to reopen. It was perfect for medicine related bo9ks, cards and stocking fillers.

A nice stethoscope? Engraved with name so less likely to go AWOL.

More ideas. Skin cream to combat face mask acne (a real problem now they have to wear masks all day). Bicycle paraphernalia if she is cycling to placements. DD has to do this in all weathers as the bus service is too unreliable. Bakeware and a Mary Berry recipe book. HCAs, nurses etc always welcome cakes brought in by a medical student on the last day of a placement. Nice bath stuff for the end of a busy day, assuming there is a bath.

@SpongeBobJudgeyPants thank you I will take a look that sounds great and I know she likes a coffee on the go!

@Needmoresleep brilliant thank you! She has read quite a few of those books prior to her interview but I'll take a look at some of the related amazon suggestions as she does enjoy them.

I will check out Adam Kay - I'm sure that would be fun. I think there is a date in Sheffield.

I will ask about Passmedicine and conferences too.

Thanks all!

@Needmoresleep do you have a good recommendation for the skin cream to help with the facemask induced acne? My DD is suffering badly and I'm sure she'd appreciate it!

My DD now 4th year medic has sometimes asked for medicine related presents - her birthday is also near Christmas! An anatomy colouring book and a some anatomy flash cards, I remember. This year she had asked for a practice suture kit! We have also bought a couple of books, 1 about a prison doctor as this is something she is interested in!

DD (also 2st year med) has asked for these
www.whsmith.co.uk/products/grays-anatomy-for-students-flash-cards-grays-anatomy-4th-revised-edition/richard-drake/a-wayne-vogl/9780323639170.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw_fiLBhDOARIsAF4khR0q7NU7SDYNfgLL7LBnu4XQAMreCE1Ufa4V1-rl2ztoeWqNnnO0sy4aAkfBEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne thank you for the Passmedicine idea I will check it out!

@Needmoresleep thank you again for more suggestions - great ideas

@Pepermintea thank you - she has a colouring book which she likes! I will look for the flash cards as they sound great too. That’s exciting getting a practice suture kit! I’ll definitely check out more books too. Prison Doctor sounds interesting, I’d quite fancy reading that myself!

@randomsabreuse love this idea! I will ask her what’s been said about stethoscopes!

Thanks @IsThisNameTaken I will take a look! Hope your DC is also enjoying their 1st year

Sorry, link doesn't seem to work any more - it's anatomy flash cards

Littman stethoscopes are the most popular. Variety of colours and yes they can be engraved/named.

www.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/Littmann-UK/

Pepperminttea, sadly I have no idea what face cream might work. I assume it is a problem for all, so if anyone did know... .

I was slightly using the thread to think about what I might get DD.

DD is also complaining about nose bleeds as a result of the endless lateral flow tests they need to take. Not sure there is much out there that might help.

DD got herself a tablet/laptop that you can draw on. Don't know what it is called, but it means you can annotate diagrams, drawings and charts.

Apple Pencil allows connectivity with iPads. This might get useful.

I doubt it was as iPads dont work well as laptops and are relatively expensive.

If anyone is interested I can ask. She did quite a lot of asking around as she wanted something that worked with the sort of diagrams and pictorial stuff that med students deal with.

If she is first year she will be studying a lot of anatomy.

Not medical school but when learning physio an anatomy colouring b

Sorry finger slipped. Anatomy colouring book was very useful. And good pencils.

Thank you so many brilliant ideas here!

@Needmoresleep @Pepermintea skincare products that could be worth a look would be Dermalogica (clear start range is amazing for clearing up skin and really helped DD a couple of years ago - she still uses the face wash now) or for something a bit more mild perhaps the Balancing range from ESPA - there is a foaming face wash, herbal toner and a balancing moisturiser which is kind of a gel/cream so nice and light.

There are some Black Friday deals I think - they are not cheap but last for absolutely ages. Could be a nice gift