12 Excellent Gift Ideas for Busy, On-the-Go MSLs

The holiday season is upon us. For many Medical Affairs folks, this means spending much needed time with family and friends, relaxing, reflecting on the previous year, eating lots of food and Grandma’s Christmas cookies, and, most importantly, presents.

Giving and receiving gifts is really fun for me. I consider myself an excellent gift giver. This inspired me to write a post on gift ideas for busy MSLs. Unless you come from a family of MSLs, it’s likely your family has no idea what you do and they probably have a hard time figuring out presents for you. Share this article with them. They will appreciate the ideas! Or just treat yourself to a nice gift. Another option: send this article to an MSL manager to give them some ideas.

1. Portable battery charger

Is there anything worse than being on the road and about to run out of power? The small “travel” battery chargers are cute but do not usually carry many charges. Consider getting one with enough juice to charge a laptop. Forgot to charge your laptop before getting on the plane and need to finish up a presentation? No worries, having a powerful external power source will save the day. This only needs to happen one time to make this gift totally worth it. Backpacks with chargers built-in are another great option.

2. E-reader

Almost everyone already has an E-reader these days but just in case you or the busy MSL in your life doesn’t have one yet, this is a great gift idea! They are perfect for unwinding on the plane and diving into a good book. Check out this link for free kindle books. Having a nice E-reader loaded up with great books makes plane rides fun!

3. Laser pointer

MSLs have to present a lot and having a nice laser pointer can really help enhance a presentation. There are fancy ones with magnification, timed vibration modes, and more. It can be a fun gadget to have for presentations.

4. Luggage tags

Help yourself or your MSL spot their luggage on the bag claim carousel with an easy to spot, custom luggage tag. Also good for getting lost luggage back more quickly.

5. Meal subscription service

When MSLs are traveling a lot it makes it difficult to prepare meals when at home. When only home for the weekend, it doesn’t make sense to go shopping and have food go to waste. Meal subscription plans can be delivered when the MSL knows they will be home. Great way to enjoy a homecooked meal!

6. Cell phone car mount

We all rely on GPS to get around these days. This is especially true for MSLs traveling to new cities frequently. Having a nice cell phone car mount is super helpful when navigating an unfamiliar area. Consider ones that are easy to move between cars for folks that use rental cars a lot.

7. Ergonomic home office equipment

In between travel days, MSLs are catching up on admin tasks in their home offices. Get a nice office chair or a standing desk to making working from home more comfy.

8. Portable Iron or garment steamer

Do irons in hotel rooms ever work? Travel-friendly irons will keep you or the MSL in your life looking sharp for all their meetings.

9. Keyboard for mobile device

Many MSLs use iPads or Surfaces for daily work activities. A nice detachable keyboard can make all the difference. Consider getting a quiet one so that they can type notes when on calls and not have others distracted by loud typing. Getting a Bluetooth mouse that worked on my pants changed my life when I was constantly on the road and needed to get work done on the plane.

10. A fitness tracker disguised as a nice watch

Being on the road all the time makes sticking to an exercise routine hard. Fitness trackers can help MSLs stay on top of their activity but don’t always look professional. Get the MSL in your life a watch that is also an activity tracker (check out Withings or Garmin for ideas). Don’t forget a stylish watch band!

11. Passport wallet

Having a nice wallet to store your travel documents is great for frequent travelers. Your MSL will appreciate being more organized.

12. Airport lounge access

Having access to airport lounges can make getting work done at the airport so much easier. Especially if the MSL has to take a lot of calls. You can buy passes to airport lounges or get a travel credit card that includes access to lounges.

Happy Holidays and don’t forget to share your own gift ideas for busy MSLs!