Every couple of months, TikTok collectively decides to answer the same question. This month’s version (at least on my FYP) is five things that are absolutely worth buying. As someone who shops a lot for work — testing new products, reviewing stuff, etc. I thought I would share my top 5 in hopes that you’ll comment your top 5 and maybe I’ll find something incredible that I’ve missed!
1. TSA PreCheck / Global Entry
Nothing has a better return on investment than getting back your own time.
When I was a resident, I would schedule flights that required me to go to the airport straight from work, and I got Global Entry as a free credit card perk. Shoes stay on. Laptop stays in the bag, and you can get there later. Worth it.
Global Entry also includes TSA PreCheck, so if you travel internationally even once or twice a year, it’s one of those purchases that pays for itself surprisingly quickly.
It just removes friction from something I do over and over again.
2. OOFOS Recovery Slides
After spending all day standing in clinic or the OR, your feet just want relief.
The first thing I do when I get home is kick off whatever shoes I’ve been wearing and put these on. They’re ugly, but they work. I strongly recommend these for everyone. They work and they’re better for your foot health than walking on hard floors.
3. Creatine
It’s one of the most studied supplements available over the counter, and there’s great evidence behind it. Unlike most of the scammy supplements out there, it’s inexpensive. I buy mine from Thorne, but you can get yours anywhere. The important is just being consistent with it.
If I had to strip my supplement routine down to just a few things, creatine would make the cut every time.
4. Topicals Faded Under Eye Masks
There are 2 kinds of tired.
There’s “I stayed up too late watching Netflix.” And then there’s “I was on call.”
These don’t replace a good night’s sleep, but they help with puffiness, and make you look decent enough in the pictures at your co-resident’s wedding. I also like products that force me to slow down for ten minutes. I just wish they didn’t have to end up in the trash after one use.
5. The Muji Multi-Color Pen
This is probably the least impressive item on the list, but it’s also the one I use the most on a daily basis
I’ve carried some version of Muji’s multi-colored pen for years. I use it in clinic, on flights, during meetings, while editing articles (yes, I edit by hand), planning trips, and making lists of things I ignore.
Black for everyday tasks. Blue for updates. Red for things I cannot forget. Green for stuff that’s D O N E.
Could I do all of this digitally? Probably but I’m trying to go more analog this year and there’s nothing as satisfying as crossing something off a handwritten list.
Honorable Mention: The Type A
It felt dishonest not to mention it. Yes, I designed it and I also carry it almost every day, which is really the point of this trend.
It has followed me through residency, fellowship, Paris Fashion Week, and three weeks of birding, chimp trekking, and gorilla trekking in Uganda. If I were redesigning it today, I’d probably make it less outdoorsy and more trendy but I’ve accepted that I’m old and value practical things. Maybe in version two…
So let me know: what are your top 5?
