2021 Physician Holiday Gift Guide

Happy December! Can you believe Christmas is only 17 days away?!?! To some this is the most wonderful time of the year, but for me it can be the most stressful time trying to think of things to buy my friends and loved ones.

If you've been looking for a gift for the physician in your life, here is a top ten list of some of my favorite things from 2021. 

Medelita Lab Coats, Jackets, Scrubs, and More

Love my Medelita gear!

I am a proud ambassador for Medelita and so far I have loved all of their products. My Estie Classic Fit lab coat looks super professional and tailored to my body, and I receive compliments every time I wear it. I even bought one for my little sister since I like it so much! I also love wearing my Medelita Kinetic Scrub Jacket especially since the hospitals and clinics are so cold. My jacket was actually the first item given to me that has my dream specialty monogrammed on it, so I hold it close to my heart. The company doesn't stop with jackets and white coats...their scrubs, face masks, and other products are just as awesome. Any healthcare professional would benefit from some Medelita gear, so head over to their website and treat the physician in your life.

SmileBrilliant Flosser, Toothbrush, and Teeth Whitening Products

Smile Brilliant keeps my smile bright!

Even though the masks keep us from seeing each other's smiles these days, it's great to not have to breathe in funky breath all day. I've enjoyed using Smile Brilliant products over the years starting with their custom teeth whitening system that I still use to this day to keep my smile bright and beautiful (click HERE to see my full original review). This year, I started using the CariPro electronic toothbrush and my mouth definitely feels cleaner. To add more awesomeness to the mix, I was recently sent a water flosser to try out and I am loving it. It's a super fast way to clean your teeth without the hassle of trying of trying to get string in between your teeth. You honestly can't go wrong with any of their products, and you can use my code (aspiringminoritydoctor20) for 20% off anything on the website!

Presto Candle Co

A candle with a label meant to be displayed :)

I absolutely love candles! The nice smells and the flickering lights from them really comfort me. I actually discovered Presto Candle Co candles from one of my doctor groups on Facebook. Not only is the owner a creator of a great product, but she also happens to be a dentist, AND the company is Black-owned! I've bought candles for pretty much everyone in my family and I love the personalized candles and being able to customize the label to each person. Plus they smell amazing! A great gift to help the physician in your life relax and calm down after a stressful day.

ProCompression Socks

Throwback pic from one of my 2018-2019 24hr call shifts

I swear by Pro Compression socks! As a surgeon, I tend to literally be on my feet all day and wearing compression socks helps with both my comfort level and ensuring I don't develop varicose veins. I bought a few of these socks (and was also gifted some by my little brother) when I was a medical student, and to this day I still wear the same socks with great compression. There are usually deals and codes on their website as well, so don't make the mistake of paying full price!

Pilot G2 Gel Pens

Pens are every physician's best friend!

I am super serious about my pens and Pilot G2 Gel Pens are my favorite. I use black in 0.7 for scribbling routine notes and when doing surgery rounds throughout the day, I use the colored gel pens to keep me on track with patient updates.

Amazon Gift Cards and Wal-Mart + Subscription

Getting groceries delivered so you can spend time on what matters most

I never have time to shop so I'm either buying things off of Amazon or having groceries delivered from Wal-Mart. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with getting someone an Amazon gift card because the website literally has everything. As for Wal-Mart, the Walmart+ membership subscription includes unlimited free delivery or you can get 2 hour express delivery for $10. I love being able to add things to my cart while I'm at work and then coming home to groceries at my door.

Airfryer/Pressure Cooker

Easy, fast, and simple cooking

The Nuwave Duet Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer Combo was a sponsored product from earlier this year, but it has grown to be a staple in my kitchen. I love being able to throw in frozen salmon filets straight from the freezer and having them juicy and ready within 13 minutes. I've also made a perfectly cooked medium filet mignon in under 6 minutes, and I use the pressure cooker function to cook all my rice now. 

Customized Calendar

Staying organized with memories to make you smile

This was actually a birthday gift from my daughter this year, but I enjoy looking at it daily. She customized a calendar with pictures of herself (definitely my child, lol), and I thought it was a super thoughtful gift. I know most people are into electronic calendars, but I enjoy writing out important things for the month and having a daily reminder on my wall. I believe she bought it from Shutterfly, but I'm sure any photo calendar place would work.

Ring Light

Step up your selfie and Zoom game

I've done a lot of zoom sessions this year, and my ring light has been a lifesaver for keeping me from looking too dark on the screen. I've also taken some amazing selfies using it, including the one above (yep, no professional pics from me this year...everything was with my cellphone and ring light). The ring light I bought was an 18 inch ring light with a stand and cellphone holder from Elegiant, but oddly I am unable to find it again on Amazon. THIS one is the closest I can find. I like this particular ring light because it has different light settings ranging from warm to bright, and it comes with a remote control in addition to a cell phone and tablet holder.

My book!

Help the physician-to-be in your life achieve their goals!

Now you know I couldn't end this post without putting in a plug for my book Atypical Premed: A Non-Traditional Student's Guide to Applying to Medical School. This would be a great gift for any premedical student in your life and I'm sure the physician in your life has a mentee who can benefit. If you'd like to know more about what the book entails, feel free to click the "Atypical Premed" tab at the top of this page. It's available through pretty much every major book retailer, so whether it's from Amazon or Barnes & Noble, buy your copy today!

That's it for my top 10 list! As I'm finishing up this post, a few other things are coming to mind, but I said I'd keep it to ten, so going to stop here. If you have any other gift ideas, I would love to hear more about them below. Cheers to the 2021 holiday season!

Disclaimer: I am a Medelita ambassador as well as an influencer for SmileBrilliant, but unless explicitly stated,  for everything else listed in this post I have not received compensation or free products. I just really like using the product OR I have it on my personal list for this year :) I'm also an Amazon Associate and may receive a small amount of compensation from any Amazon links you click on.

2019 Holiday Gift Guide (Plus Giveaway!)

We bought an actual real and alive tree this year!

It's officially 10 days until Christmas, and if you're anything like me, you have yet to get a start on your holiday shopping. No worries! There's still plenty of time to order gifts and have them at your door by December 24th, so I figured I would share a few of my favorite items with you this holiday season here, and you can also check out my Amazon page if you want more ideas outside of this post. I even have a free giveaway for you below!

Smile Brilliant

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of reviewing the at-home teeth whitening system by Smile Brilliant (Click here to read full original review), and I absolutely loved how fast it whitened my teeth and brightened my smile. The company has excellent reviews, is unique in that they create custom-fitted trays, and they're a great choice for anyone considering whitening, but unsure if it is a good idea.  I highly recommend Smile Brilliant if you’re looking to brighten your smile, and the company has yet again graciously agreed to giveaway their awesome product (a $149 value) to one of my readers! Just follow the instructions below to enter for your chance to win! Or if you’re impatient like me and want to get started now, go to smilebrilliant.com and enter the coupon code below for 15% off storewide.

15% off coupon code: aspiringminoritydoctor15

Giveaway link: https://www.smilebrilliant.com/gi/5247 

·  The giveaway is for a $149 Smile Brilliant credit. It runs until January 7, 2020 at 11:59pm EST and is open to USA, UK, Australia and Canadian residents.

·  Smile Brilliant hosts the giveaway on its own website. It's done through an internal platform so you don't have to worry about third-party websites selling your email addresses.

·  All entrants must enter their email address to be entered!

JORD 

There's nothing more timeless than a watch, and another awesome product I had the pleasure of reviewing this year was a Jord Wood Watch (Click here to read my original review). Their watches are absolutely gorgeous and would make for a great holiday gift for any student, woman, man, or child in your life. Even more exciting, for those of you who own Apple watches, they now make beautiful Apple Watch Bands to keep you fashionable while wearing your favorite time-telling technology. Not in the market for a watch? Well, they even have sunglasses, so make sure you go and check them out! At the time of this post, they are holding a holiday sale giving away $105 in gift cards with every order bought by December 19th.

Laborai

For the busy professionals, I highly recommend Laborai: a clothing and jewelry line designed for "desk to dinner" looks. The company is not only woman-owned, but the owner/founder is a great friend of mine who, in addition to running the business, is a very busy family medicine resident in Atlanta. The dresses and jumpsuits are all tasteful, with just enough flair to make any woman feel sexy. There's even great jewelry to match. I'm sure you'll find something on the site to suit your upcoming holiday party needs :)

Custom Handmade Jewelry and Gifts

Next on my list is a shameless plug for my mother's side business Mugs and More by Kathleen. She custom makes beautiful bracelets, necklaces, and earrings all by hand! The items are all absolutely gorgeous and she is able to make your requested jewelry into any design or color you desire. On top of this, she also creates custom mugs (I'm still in love with the coffee mug she designed for me a few years ago!), does T-shirt vinyl designs, and can even personalize Christmas tree balls. How cool is it that our tree is personalized with our family pictures?!?! 

How Good Ol' Dr. V Came to Be!

Next on the list is a book that kids, parents, and pre-meds alike will enjoy. My daughter and I recently received How Good Ol' Dr. V Came to Be by Dr. Renee Volny Darko, and we were absolutely in love with the colors and story line of the book. I think it's even more important that it's a book with a minority character that children like my daughter can look up to. My daughter gave me the side-eye at first for giving her a children's book, but by the end of it she was both happy and inspired. I highly recommend for the little future physicians in your life.

If you're looking for other great reads, CLICK HERE for a full list of books on amazon that I highly recommend for pre-medical students, medical students, and physicians alike (I love to read!) 

Medelita

I recently had the pleasure of joining the Medelita family as a H.I.P. (Honoring Inspiring Professionals) Ambassador, and I am happy to include them in my holiday gift guide. They have a great selection of lab coats and scrubs, and I will be reviewing one of their great products in an upcoming blog post. They even have stethoscopes if you're looking for a gift to give the newly accepted medical student in your life, and right now, you can receive 25% off their entire website by using the code HOLIDAY25.  

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That's all for now. If you're interested in other products that I personally love and use, feel free to check out my Amazon page (https://www.amazon.com/shop/minoritydoctor) where you'll find idea lists for pre-medical students, medical students, and interns, along with other miscellaneous items. I may come back and add more products to this post, but since Christmas is literally a little over a week away, I figured I would make sure you could be a little prepared :) Are there any great holiday gift ideas that I missed? Feel free to comment with your holiday faves below!