This is a question i've had for a while...i've read on these forums that much of the med-students studying is done reading off of laptop screens. A big concern of mine is that I like the macintosh powerbook notebook--and was wondering if specific programs used for studying anatomy or other subjects are both mac and pc compatable. Specifically--i'd like to hear from students at Temple and Jefferson--since those are the two schools I am considering for matriculation in the fall of 04. Thanks for reading and hope everything is going well.
Apple powerbook users in Med School
- Thread starter Biryani
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I can't comment on either of those schools but 99% of materials are on the web so they will work on either platform. There are exceptions so if places will recommend anything, it would be to get a PC. I've had a PC through MS1-4 but I want to get a Mac again 🙂
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Im with lurker. I miss my mac. Hope to get one once I move on into clinicals.
I haven't found an app yet though that wasn't built for windows only.
The only thing Im not sure of is Netter's atlas CD. But Im almost positive it works on the mac as well.
Everything else Ive ever needed was M$ Office and a good web browser.
I haven't found an app yet though that wasn't built for windows only.
The only thing Im not sure of is Netter's atlas CD. But Im almost positive it works on the mac as well.
Everything else Ive ever needed was M$ Office and a good web browser.
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At Temple school-specific CD roms were given out for 1st year Anatomy, Histo and Neuro. I just took a look at them, and most were listed as being for Windows - the others said nothing on the disc. If you're accepted, I'd suggest emailing the departments to ask if there are options for Mac users (Dr. Schneck and Dr. Marino would probably be good choices). You also need to be able to run Powerpoint if you want to see certain lecture slides. Aside from that I wouldn't forsee any problems, but you really do need those CDs for lab components.
btw, I read the Mac turns 20 today. 🙂 Anyone who's never seen the famous 1984 Superbowl ad should check it out, it's on Apple's front page.
btw, I read the Mac turns 20 today. 🙂 Anyone who's never seen the famous 1984 Superbowl ad should check it out, it's on Apple's front page.
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12" Power Book rocks!! I highly suggest it for school. Battery lasts 3+ hrs, it's so light and small, so there's no excuse not to have it with you.
As for software, I have Stedman's on CD-Rom (v.5.0). It works on my Mac, but it doesn't work in OSX, it has to run in the classic OS 9 mode. So it makes it a bit akward to use, esp. compared to how well it runs on my Windows XP computer. But, it still works regardless.
As for software, I have Stedman's on CD-Rom (v.5.0). It works on my Mac, but it doesn't work in OSX, it has to run in the classic OS 9 mode. So it makes it a bit akward to use, esp. compared to how well it runs on my Windows XP computer. But, it still works regardless.
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I love my i-Book. I love it in ways that one should not love a machine. It is an emotional attachment....okay I have to stop...
🙂
Anyway, I have had no problems. It's a great little machine and have had zero compatibility problems. If your profs post their powerpoint presentations online before class as ours do, I'd just make sure you have MS Word for Mac installed so you can read the PPs and make notes on them in class on your laptop. I love that method because I type way faster than I write and I end up with nice, legible notes right under each slide.
🙂
Anyway, I have had no problems. It's a great little machine and have had zero compatibility problems. If your profs post their powerpoint presentations online before class as ours do, I'd just make sure you have MS Word for Mac installed so you can read the PPs and make notes on them in class on your laptop. I love that method because I type way faster than I write and I end up with nice, legible notes right under each slide.
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I don't think you'll get short-changed by using a powerbook.
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I'll be starting med school this fall and I plan to get a 15" Powerbook. Since I switched to a Mac 3 yrs ago, I have found very few apps that I could not run. It's really been a non-issue to me throughout undergrad. Of course, you could always get a copy of Virtual PC if there was a Windows app that you absolutely had to run. I'll warn you though: seeing the Windows XP startup screen on a Mac is probably the most blasphemously obscene thing you'll ever witness.
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Great ad! I just watched again. Man, that commercial still stands out as the apotheosis of advertising.
BTW, they digitally inserted an i-Pod onto the runner who throws the hammer. 🙄
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I'm a MSI and I got a 15" powerbook at the beginning of this year -- it's absolutely great.
I'll echo what others have said and report that much of our class content is web-based, so as long as you have Microsoft Office and can surf the web, you're good. It's my classmates who don't have PowerPoint who feel their computers can't do enough.
Also, for some of our classes where you need to view lots of images (Histo, Anatomy), our professors burned us CDs... they actually had to burn them in two formats, because when they polled us 20% used Macs! There probably still are some incompatibilities, but things will just continue to improve.
I'll echo what others have said and report that much of our class content is web-based, so as long as you have Microsoft Office and can surf the web, you're good. It's my classmates who don't have PowerPoint who feel their computers can't do enough.
Also, for some of our classes where you need to view lots of images (Histo, Anatomy), our professors burned us CDs... they actually had to burn them in two formats, because when they polled us 20% used Macs! There probably still are some incompatibilities, but things will just continue to improve.
thanks for all the responses--certainly made me confident that I'll be okay in medschool with the mac platform. Lara--the school specific comments regarding Temple was particularly reassuring, and i appreciate it!
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Thanks! If worse comes to worse PCs are readily available in the library, so I'd say those CDs aren't worth sacrificing a Mac if that's what you really want - just make time to view them at school.
Have you been accepted already at Temple and Jeff? If so, congrats. 🙂 And good luck with Dartmouth!
Have you been accepted already at Temple and Jeff? If so, congrats. 🙂 And good luck with Dartmouth!
hehe-yeah i was rejected from dartmouth..i really should change that signiture. Waitlisted at Jeff--accepted at Temple.
I am just curious about life of a medstudent in general. They are cool--its hard for me to believe i will be joining their ranks next year--its even a bit daunting. Will I be delivering babies and such in a few years? Certainly puts the importance of computing platforms into perspective, doesn;t it?
I am just curious about life of a medstudent in general. They are cool--its hard for me to believe i will be joining their ranks next year--its even a bit daunting. Will I be delivering babies and such in a few years? Certainly puts the importance of computing platforms into perspective, doesn;t it?
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There's a few us with Powerbooks and iBooks here at Ohio State, and we have many fewer problems accessing their wireless network, really. All our electronic materials are in PDF or PowerPoint; theoretically next year they'll have some interactive lecture material that will be Windows only, but hardly anything compelling enough to influence your decision.
