Ah, the winter season. A time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, and other holidays I am forgetting. A season of giving. But, alas, what to give?
In the past, I've written about practical gifts and must have gifts for medical students and health professionals. This time though, it's just going to be a wish list, plain and simple. Most of it is medically-related, sometimes a stretch, but honestly, some of it just good stuff one might want to have. C'mon, you (or your recipient) is in medical school! A doctor doesn't have to treat only patients all the time - sometimes a doctor should treat themselves too! Now, granted, these are wishes for particular gifts. Maybe you are wishing you were AOA or you could travel the world or perhaps lose weight quickly (quite a challenge in medical school with busy rotations and studying!) Not every wish can be encapsulated by a gift item though. Regardless, hopefully some of these gifts will lift your spirits nonetheless!
The Kindle by Amazon
First up, the Kindle. What's not to love about this device? It's almost as thin as a magazine, can download books wirelessly just about anywhere, holds up to 1500 books, has a super-sharp crisp screen to read, and can even read out loud to you! As a medical student, you can have all your medical reference textbooks in their full-size glory in one easy to carry device. In fact, some medical schools are starting to implement support for Kindle for all their resources (see this blog post about Kindle at Harvard Medical School). Yes, it's a little pricey, but that's a one-time cost - the total cost ends up being cheaper as books cost less on the Kindle. Besides, using a Kindle is environmentally friendly. Heh, and it just looks plain cool. And that's why the Kindle is tops on the wishlist this year.
Flip Video Camera
Those commercials got to me - using a Flip Video Camera to record the goofy moments in life seems fun. From a med student point of view, it's also useful for recording bits of a lecture or perhaps for composing a skit for your school's version of fall follies or senior skits. Not sure what I'm talking about? Clearly you haven't seen Jizz In My Scrubs.
5 in 1 - Neurology Combo Tool
This thing is frickin' awesome. First, the 5 in 1 combo tool just looks way more professional than the standard issue orange reflex hammer. Frankly, I lost mine a while back and have felt none the lesser for it. Second, you can really examine people thoroughly with this device. Instead of making ad hoc solutions to assess pin-prick sensation, you can use an appropriate tool for it. I guess I'm a sucker for gadgets, but the 5 in 1 - Neurology Combo Tool actually seems useful.
Apple iPod Touch
What can I say? The Apple iPod Touch is simply amazing. It plays music, it surfs the webs, it does apps. In some ways, it's even better than an iPhone - no lousy contract, but still get all the perks. From a med student standpoint, it's great because many apps have been developed for the OS that are relevant for medical professionals, and many are free. For example, you can get Epocrates on your iPod Touch now. Many hospitals provide Wifi service, so you can also use your iPod Touch to do research in between rounds. The device basically does it all.
Gift Cards
Still not sure what to get? Heh, can't beat a gift card. Get them something you know they'll love - something they picked out themselves!
A great list to begin with :)
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