What exactly do you get someone who is graduating high school? This is the challenge I faced a few weeks ago when a close friend’s son was graduating high school. Maybe it’s a generational thing, but when I was in high school a graduation gift was very important. I remember everyone in my life either getting me a small gift or a monetary reward in celebration of my graduation. Not that I felt like I necessarily need it, it was just nice to get some recognition for all my hard work.

Now-a-days the graduation gift is not as popular. While most people settle on a card and possibly a small check, I felt like I should go the extra mile for someone who I felt has always been kind of a son to me. Heck, he used to sleep over with my kids and play on the same sports teams. Because of this I wanted to get him something he would need, something that he could use in college. Since he was going to study medicine I decided that I would take the plunge and buy him a personalized lab coat as a graduation gift.

The first thing you need to know about buying a lab coat is that it’s a lot more involved a process then you might think. When the average person thinks of a lab coat they think of this white overcoat that is more of a uniform then a functional piece of a doctor’s medical arsenal. The truth is a good lab coat is much more of a personalized piece of clothing then you would imagine. Everything from the fabric to the size of the pockets to the length of the coat can be personalized, and every single part of the lab coat serves a purpose. Did you know the lab coats are made with specialized fabrics which allow for better breathability? That the specialized fabrics also repel stains and allow for easy clean up? I never knew that so much technology is put into these coats? Then again, if you think about it, doctors need to be comfortable throughout the day so they are willing to spend a little more on these personalized touches (heck, I would if I had to wear a coat for 12 hours a day).

So yeah, did I spend a little more than I thought I would on the coat? Yeah, but was it also worth it to get my friend’s son something that he will be comfortable in during his labs? Absolutely. I was even able to get personalized embroidery on the coat. Sure beat the heck out of a talking card.

Kimberly Green hopes to one day purchase a lab coat for her own child’s graduation.