The Best Pens for Doctors [2024] - Writing the Rx

The Best Pens for Doctors [2024] - Writing the Rx

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Diplomat Excellence

Diplomat Excellence

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LAMY Swift Rollerball Pen

LAMY Swift Rollerball Pen

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Marlen Ippocrate

Marlen Ippocrate

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Pilot Vanishing Point Gun Metal Fountain Pen

Pilot Vanishing Point Gun Metal Fountain Pen

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A doctor’s job is always on the go since they juggle patients, meetings, and other administrative tasks on a daily basis. Therefore, a reliable writing tool that always works flawlessly can make a huge difference in their day-to-day tasks related to taking notes, writing prescriptions, and even daily planning. 

But how can you find the best pen for doctors out of all the available options?

At Truphae, we’ve taken this task upon ourselves and tried out all the pens in our arsenal to give you the best recommendations that you can incorporate into your personal collection. So, if you’ve been meaning to purchase a pen for yourself or for a current or future doctor, these are the pens that will make the perfect doctor’s assistant. 

Best Pens for Doctors

Below, you’ll find the best of the best when it comes to different types of pens that are a great match for doctors, so you can surprise someone with a thoughtful gift of high quality or a subscription to our Inkredible Boxes. All of our recommendations can be found in the Truphae store, so let’s start with the first one.

Best Fountain Pen for Doctors - Diplomat Excellence 

Diplomat Excellence A2 Chrome Fountain Pen

Specifications

Manufacturer

Diplomat

Color

Evergreen, Bauhaus, Black & Gold, Skyline Blue, Oxyd Iron, Chrome, Black & Chrome, Marrakesh

Weight

39.69 g

Length

138.7 mm

Material

Metal/ Lacquer

Series

Excellence

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Sleek, minimalistic design
  • Exquisite stainless steel nib that gives you a consistent writing experience
  • Impressive inkflow
  • Different colors available

Cons

  • High price
  • Some users find the grip section slippery
  • Significant weight

The Diplomat Excellence is a pen to rule all pens. Whether you look at the sleek, minimalistic design that gives the pen a luxurious simplicity or the various unique color options, this pen doesn’t cease to amaze. 

The barrel is made of high-quality lacquer and metal that ensures the pen’s durability, while the stainless steel nib, also available in a pure gold variety, gives you a consistent writing experience and impressive inkflow. The nib is available in different sizes, such as extra fine, fine, medium, and broad, that can cater to the needs of all doctors. 

The only downsides are the pen’s high price and its slightly higher weight than other pens in this price range. But overall, it’s a splendid pen that will last you for years to come.

Best Retractable Rollerball Pen for Doctors - LAMY Swift

LAMY Swift Rollerball Pen

Specifications

Manufacturer

LAMY

Color

Nickel Palladium, Matte Black, Graphite,

Imperial Blue

Weight

26 g

Length

145 mm

Material

Metal

Series

Swift

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Ergonomic and stylish design
  • Retractable tip
  • Refillable pen
  • Smooth rollerball ink

Cons

  • No cons to note

The LAMY Swift’s design is inspired by the Bauhaus movement, which was all about combining artistry and function. The pen is both stylish and ergonomic, which results in an elegant pen that’s perfectly balanced and looks great on top of your desk and in your hands. Its main feature is the retractable tip that not only prevents the ink from drying but also prevents it from leaking into your pocket while carrying it.

The barrel has a matte finish that prevents fingertips from showing and comes in four main colors, Nickel Palladium, Matte Black, Graphite, and Imperial Blue. The pen also has a series of holes close to the tip that reveal the shining metal beneath the top matte layer, and provide for an adequate grip section.

To produce the smoothest writing experience, this pen uses the LAMY M66 Rollerball Refill,  which is available in black, blue, green, and red. These refills are used by the LAMY Swift and  the LAMY Tipo.

Best Fountain Pen Design for Doctors - Marlen Ippocrate 

Marlen Ippocrate Black Fountain Pen

Specifications

Manufacturer

Marlen

Color

White, Red, Blue, Black, Burgundy

Weight

35.01 g

Length

140 mm

Material

Resin

Series

Ippocrate

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Can use a cartridge or a converter
  • Available in white, red, blue, black, and burgundy
  • Doctor-specific, themed design
  • Steel nib, gold plated

Cons

  • High price for a pen with a steel nib

If you’re looking for a gift for medical school graduates, look no further than the Marlen Ippocrate fountain pen. The pen’s design is inspired by some of the greatest minds in medicine and it pays tribute to the major contributions they made in the field. 

Firstly, the barrel of the pen, which comes in four colors, burgundy, deep blue, black, and red, has bronze and silver reliefs of the “Father of Medicine”, the Greek physician Hippocrates. He was the person who revolutionized medicine in Ancient Greece and taught people that diseases are a natural occurrence and not caused by the wrath of the gods. As a result, he introduced the concepts of prognosis and diagnosis and established the Hippocratic Oath.

Secondly, the clip of the pen is a reference to the rod of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. It symbolizes the art of healing through the symbol of a snake and staff, which represents renewal and rejuvenation and is a common symbol of healthcare institutions around the world.

Then we have the stainless steel nib, plated with gold, that comes in three main sizes, fine, medium, and broad. Lastly, you can use the pen either with bottled ink or with a cartridge, depending on your personal preference.

Best Retractable Fountain Pen for Doctors - Pilot Vanishing Point 

Pilot Vanishing Point Gun Metal Fountain Pen

Specifications

Manufacturer

Pilot

Color

Gun metal, matte blue, blue & gold, red & gold, black & gold, red & rhodium, black & rhodium, black carbonesque, blue carbonesque, gun metal & matte black, shiny white & black, black matte, black ice

Weight

31 g

Length

141 mm

Material

Lacquered metal

Series

Vanishing point

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Different nibs sizes
  • Retractable nib mechanism
  • Extra fine nib, great for left-handed people
  • 18k solid gold nib

Cons

  • Smaller ink chamber compared to other fountain pen

The Pilot Vanishing Point was one of the pioneers in the retractable nib market since it first came out in the 1960s. Its best features, apart from the retractable nib, are the function-oriented minimalistic design and the color choices that complement it, such as matte blue, red and gold, matte black, and gun metal, to name a few.

This remarkable pen also comes with a rhodium-plated 18k solid gold Namiki nib, which works effortlessly for lefthanded individuals and prevents smudges during writing sessions. 

The only downside to this truly amazing pen is the smaller ink capacity because of the retractable mechanism. But you get a durable, sizeable, and reliable fountain pen that you can use for generations to come.

What is the Best Pen for Doctors?

While there’s no right or wrong answer to this question, we’d say that the best pen for doctors is the one that best fits the needs of the doctor who’s using it. It may be a luxury pen or a budget-friendly pen, but the bottom part is that it has to be functional. 

Some doctors may enjoy limited edition pens, like the David Oscarson Limited Edition Sir Alexander Fleming, which honors the great Scottish bacteriologist who invented the penicillin, while others may enjoy practical ballpoint, pens such as the Montblanc Meisterstuck 161, a classic black pen with a gold trim. If you’re giving the pen as a gift, make sure that you know the pen preferences of the doctor who’s receiving the pen.

Best Pens for Doctors: Buyer’s Guide

There are a few factors that you need to keep in mind when buying a pen, regardless of who you’re buying it for.  

Consider Their Specialty and Their Preferences

When selecting a pen for your doctor giftee, the first thing to take into consideration is the personal preferences of the doctor, their daily habits, and their personality. Then, you can choose the pen that best fits their taste and needs, and make the right purchase.

Take the Brand and Quality of the Pen Into Consideration

To ensure that the person who is receiving the gift will be able to enjoy it for years, opt for a brand that’s reputable and sells pens that have excellent craftsmanship and design, made with materials of high quality.

Pen Type

After choosing your favorite brand, you’ll want to decide on the ideal type of pen for the medical practitioner based on how their daily routine looks like. You can choose any type of pen out of the following.

Ballpoint Pens

These pens are the most commonly used out of all the pens on this list, and can often be found in doctors’ offices. This is due to the oil-based ink the pen uses that’s among the fastest drying ink, which is very useful for doctors who write quick prescriptions and take notes. These types of pens are among the most affordable, and can write on any surface and in any condition.

Fountain Pens

These pens are the most elegant type of pens you can buy and there are a lot of physicians who use them as their everyday pen. Fountain pens use water-based ink, which takes a bit more time to dry compared to oil-based ink, however, these pens produce delicate lines and don’t require much pressure, which is why some doctors use them.

Rollerball Pens

Rollerball pens are the best of both worlds since they combine the mechanism of ballpoint pens and the elegance that comes with writing with a fountain pen. They use a water-based ink that’s similar to the ink in fountain pens.

Gel Pens

Gel pens use a gel-water ink blend that doesn’t bleed through the pages but rather sticks to the writing surface efficiently. These pens come in a wide array of colors, which provides versatility for anyone who uses them.

Consider Comfort

The ideal pen for a medical professional needs to be comfortable above all else since doctors write a lot throughout their work day. They need to sign reports, write down different tasks, add important information on patient records, and review and annotate charts. For this, they’ll need a writing tool that’s well-balanced and doesn’t weigh too much.


The first thing that enables comfort is the size of the barrel and this should be one of the first factors that you consider. Doctors with smaller hands would benefit from using a pen that has a barrel diameter between 15 and 25 mm. The in-between diameter for a barrel is one that’s between 25 and 35 mm, while pens with a thick barrel that’s over 35 mm are ideal for doctors with larger hands.  

Evaluate the Pen Closure System

For a pen to be efficient, it needs to have an adequate pen closure system. This is where fountain pens have great advantages since they have a cap that covers the nib so there are no unwanted spills or leaks. Pens with a retractable tip are also useful and allow you to easily reveal the tip of the pen by pressing the top of the pen or twisting the barrel.

Material and Design

When purchasing a luxury pen for doctors, look for high-quality and luxurious materials as well as a design that’s contemporary and fits the recipient’s taste and personality. Popular materials for luxury pens include gold, platinum, silver, precious stones, and gemstones.

Personalization

Purchasing a luxury pen also enables you to engrave a message or a name for your doctor friend to make the gift even more memorable.

Type of Occasion

Another factor worth considering is the occasion that the gift is intended for. For example, a graduation gift would be much more different than a gift for a promotion or even a retirement gift.

As the doctor’s career develops, it’s more likely that they’d be more interested in using pens that are more luxurious, as opposed to medical graduates who are mostly looking for comfort and efficiency. But that shouldn’t limit you, instead, it should motivate you to research more about the gift recipient, so you can find a pen to their liking.

Packaging

For the perfect gift, you also need the ideal package. Most luxury pens come in elegant gift boxes, so you can wrap them up in luxurious paper and combine the gift with delicious chocolate for the perfect celebration combo.

Other Things to Consider Before Buying

Before we wrap up this article, we wanted to give you a few reasons why purchasing a luxury pen for a doctor is a great idea:

  • A luxury pen is an extremely functional gift used on a daily basis.
  • They’re considered a symbol of status and elegance since they showcase style, sophistication, and use luxury materials.
  • Gifting a luxury pen is a sign of appreciation for the work and status of the medical professional receiving it.
  • A luxury pen can be given as a gift for a special occasion to commemorate it.

FAQs

Which pen is better for notes?

One of the best pens for note-taking you can purchase is the Montblanc Meisterstück Rollerball Pen. It’s a convenient writing tool that fits in your hand perfectly and doesn’t weigh too much, so you can use it during long writing sessions without straining your hand.

What is the best luxury pen?

While there are a lot of pens that have made their way on the list of best luxury pens, we choose the Visconti Il Magnifico Lapis Lazuli as one of the best representatives that provides a high-quality writing experience while looking luxurious and refined. And on top of that, it’s a limited edition pen, so there are only 188 pens like it.

Why do doctors use pen lights?

Pen lights are a doctor’s best friend since they’re used for pupil response and checking how fast the pupils constrict when exposed to bright light. They also enable you to “shine more light” when you do throat and ear examinations.

Conclusion

We know that everyone enjoys receiving a gift that’s useful, fits the needs of the recipient, and is given for a special occasion, which is why pens are one of the best gifts ever. After reading our reviews, you’re now able to select the ideal pen to give to yourself or to your physician friend. 

One of our best choices overall is the Diplomat Excellence, which not only has a modern and minimalistic design but also works really well. It’s available in a few different colors and various nib sizes so you can select the one that best fits the preferences of the doctor who’s receiving it.

If you’ve tried out some of the pens on our list, we’d love to learn your thoughts about whether you enjoyed the experience of writing with them. And if you have any other recommendations about what pens would be ideal for medicine practitioners, feel free to leave them below.

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1 comment


  • Richard Lapin

    Please note 2 important developments relative to doctors. First, almost all prescriptions are handled electronically. It’s very rare that a handwritten prescription is left for a patient. Patient records are often updated electronically and made available on portals that various practices adopted. Second, based on comments from my late brother-in-law who many years ago when making rounds on patients, would prefer a pen that he could use with one hand. The other hand would hold chart.
    By and large, the only pens I see in a doctor’s office are at the reception desk where patients sign in. Not surprisingly these are inexpensive ballpoints bought by the box at big box supply stores.


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