Unsure of what to get for the aspiring PA or practicing PA in your life? Well, you’re in the right place! This is our most comprehensive guide yet. If you’re on the other side as a hopeful PA or PA student, feel free to forward to your friends and family who may need a gentle reminder of things that would be helpful and appreciated! If there’s something you’ve received in the past and loved, please comment and share your ideas with your colleagues. Some of the links included are affiliate links, and for more ideas, visit our Amazon store.
Shipping times and product availability have been hit or miss lately, so we wanted to provide some non-shipping/delivery time dependent options! Sometimes we have to get creative depending on circumstances. In each category, you’ll also find DIY/low cost options all the way to splurges.
Pre-PA
For any pre-PA student in your life, they are likely focused on anything that will help make the PA school application process a little easier, and that’s what we’re here for! A book to help with personal statements, interview prep, or a gift card for an essay revision or mock interview are all great options.
Pre-PA students are often trying to obtain patient care hours and having a nice set of scrubs and shoes is a thoughtful gift. I recommend Medelita, which is a PA-founded company, for medical wear, and here are a few of my favorite items. My husband is obsessed with the Medelita underscrub and scrub jackets also. Use the code PERRYPAC20 for a 20% discount on all of your Medelita favorites. For shoes, my current go-tos are Crocs clogs. Super comfy and easy to clean/disinfect and my feet don’t hurt after standing and walking for 8-10 hours a day. I find all of these items run true to size.
Call me cheesy, but I love a good DIY coupon book as a gift as well. It’s meaningful and thoughtful, and can be very low cost. Feel free to interchange all of these ideas between pre-PA/PA students/PAs, but here are some of the things you could include. Use a free online editor like Canva to make it look cute and print or send digitally.:
Home-cooked meal
Coffee date or bring coffee to work/house
Pet-sitting
Baby-sitting
A day of running errands
Movie night
Help with cleaning or organizing
Study session
PA Students
For a quick study break for PA students, here are some of my favorite reads from the past year in a variety of genres. Some are medical, some aren’t, but everyone could use a brain break every once in a while (even if they don’t know it.) I will also add, I’m a dedicated Kindle reader at this point with a new found love for Audible (click the link to get a free credit and trial!) and audiobooks, so I included that as well.
We can’t leave the PA students out with the Medelita gear. The Medelita Sensitive stethoscope is a great tool, particularly for someone who is about to start PA school. For the many hours in a classroom each day, a cozy fleece jacket is a must, and there are also short white coats available for clinical rotations.
Can we talk about self-care for a second? It’s easy to get caught up in studying 24/7, but also important to prioritize yourself during PA school, which can be hard to remember. A fun basket of skincare, water bottles, and treats would be a sweet gift to help get through the end of the semester. One of my most favorite gifts to give is Babelash, which has the Essential Serum to help lashes grow thicker and longer and the best mascara ever. Use the code SAVANNA for 20% off as well (and it stacks with the Black Friday deals!) And there are tons of other skincare items in my Amazon store.
These days it seems like the holy grail for PA school is an iPad. Everyone has one and everyone loves them for taking notes and staying organized. While this would be the ultimate splurge, there are some accessories that also come highly recommended. I recently polled instagram, and it seems that the iPad Air + Pencil + keyboard is what most students are going for.
PA-C
I can only speak from my experience as a PA, but I’m constantly on the lookout for anything that makes my life easier. With a busy job, once I get home, I want as much time with family as possible. Something to help with dinnertime would be much appreciated. I use my crockpot often, and an Instant Pot is on my list this year. I started using ButcherBox recently as well, and I’ve been very impressed by the quality and convenience.
The Splurge! If you’re really looking to make a PA’s day, usually coffee is a great idea. An espresso machine is a great idea if you know someone who appreciates a good caffeine hit or spends way too much at Starbucks. I don’t personally own one yet, but I’ve had my eye on the Nespresso for a quick option, but the Breville has great reviews for a true barista. If you aren’t ready to splurge quite that much, a milk frother can take coffee to the next level with an at-home sweet cream. I personally own this one and use it all the time.
For a workplace present, a new Medelita white coat will help start the new year feeling fresh. The high quality fabric is so durable, and the fit is highly professional. Embroidery is available to add a name also, or if you’re like me, stick to the scrub jackets and my all-time favorite scrub pants - The Pixel.
