One of my oldest and dearest friends just graduated from medical school and I want to give her a graduation gift. However, I'm a stay at home mom on a budget so I'm looking for suggestions for a gift that would be special yet still budget-friendly. Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Does she live near you? How about inviting her over for dinner for a lovely homecooked meal? And you can throw in a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion.
A pretty pin to put on her scrubs? They make fabric stethoscope covers and colored ones. My mother went through pens like crazy, a pack of pens with her name on them?
Here's another idea... do you have pictures of the two of you through the years?
You could set up a small photo album/photobook for her..... showing all the memories you have of the two of you... especially if you have any that showed her scientific/medical inclinations!
Do you have pictures from your childhood together? Any chance (a stretch I'm sure) you can find one of her in a lab coat as a kid or playing doctor or anything? Something like that in a nice frame could be wonderful.
Med school graduation is also a major life milestone... so even a picture of the two of you together long ago in a double frame with a recent picture (one at her graduation?) and a note about how far you've come and how you can't wait to see what she'll accomplish in the next X years.
When I graduated from college my mom gave me a framed poem:
My Daughter
All the things I hoped you'd be
are all the things you are.
You were once my little girl
and now my shining star.
I STILL have it on my dresser and it makes me smile every day. Maybe you could find something similar for a friend rather than daughter.
How about a gift certificate to a medical supply store? Like one that sells things like stethoscopes. A good Littman costs a lot of money. She might really like a gift that could go toward buying one of those. (But I wouldn't buy it for her - she should pick it out herself.)
Congrats to your friend. Lots of work she put into this degree!!!
Dawn
Shoes
Or barring that... Really awesome gel inserts.
Residency & Interning is worse than waitressing. New grad docs often walk 10miles a day schlepping through the hospital.
How about a really, REALLY nice pen? At Things Remembered, you can find a nice O. and have it engraved with the date, her name, etc......
Also (of course) a card with a note acknowledging how proud you are of her accomplishment!
a nice pen - not the $40 egraved one. And not the 10 to a pack ones.
One of those nice $5-$10 ones like zebra or gel tips. One that'll be ok if she loses, but says - hey, someone writing all day needs a good pen.
The previous posters had some awesome gift ideas. I would take those gift ideas that they mentioned and make her a gift box or a gift basket. I would put in the gel inserts, gift card to a medical store, wine, chocolates, or you can even bake some items if you want. Also, usually, in the Sunday newspaper, you can find a 40% off coupon for Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics. So that saves you some cash on the box/basket. Put items in the box, wrap it in the cellophane type wrap, but ribbons on it and get a nice card. It's creative and special because it's made by you especially for her:)
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR FRIEND!!!
here's a sight for medical stuff.
http://www.allheart.com/littmannscopes.html?cmpid=SEMSN&a...
I would look into other things as well, if there is something career specific or what she is training for - pediatric, gerontology, etc.
