Apples in dental school

Started by edkNARF
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edkNARF

edkNARF

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I was just wondering what the computer requirements are at schools. I am a devout mac addict, and would hate to have to use one. I know NYU, and UMDNJ REQUIRE you to get a PC. What schools give you the freedom to choose your computer. Don't think I am going to choose a school soley based on if I get to use a mac, but it will be factored into my decision.
 
Well, I'm a Mac lover too. And I've got to purchase a PC notebook for my first year at Nova. If only my iBook would suffice. I'd go for a school that doesn't require you to buy a laptop if you are really concerned about this.

Jessica
 
It is not a huge concern, but I would like to be able to use an apple if I could.
 
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I don't know a whole lot about why you can't use Apples but I think most of the software that dental schools use is Windows compatible only. Not sure though. I have only seen it run on Windows.

Jessica
 
I don't know if you were interested in any michigan schools, but from what i have gathered UDM requires you to purchase a tablet pc through them and UMich has no laptop requirement.
 
Buffalo will give you a choice between the latest Mac laptop or a PC laptop.

If you go to a school that uses VitalBook (aka VitalCrap) in place of paper textbooks (like NYU, UMDNJ, San Antonio, Buffalo, etc.), VitalBook will run on Mac or PC.
 
We have no requirement, but most of the laptop "users" have powerbooks. We get a decent discount from Apple as do many schools. I use virtual pc every so often when something isn't compatible.
 
I can also add that one other factor to consider is that when you get out into private practice, almost all the office operating software is windows based, and any intro of new software with more bells and whistles is rolled out on windows.

That being said, there is 1 office in my town where they run macs for their office software, and when their looking for new software or help, the techs keep trying to "encourage" them to switch to windows by inferring that the next generation of software upgrade for their office system won't have a mac version.
 
I feel so old....they are requiring you guys to buy a laptop? What for? You can't take notes on regular paper or are they handing out ebooks now?
 
thisisit said:
I feel so old....they are requiring you guys to buy a laptop? What for? You can't take notes on regular paper or are they handing out ebooks now?
Click to expand...

They are handing out e-books. My class was among the first few dental schools that was required to pay $1500 a year to purchase a DVD with over 90 textbooks on it. This DVD is made by a company called VitalSource (it was a dentist's idea). You view & read the textbooks on the computer, you can highlight text, add custom notes, and print out pages and stuff. Not only were your required texts on there, but there were also lots of extra books we never touched - like 8 Gross anatomy books or 4 Fixed Prosthodontics books. They also put the required class notes on the DVD, but at our school that was always a bust b/c the notes were always outdated. The teachers had to submit them months in advance and some were too lazy to do that, so they'd just hand out paper copies the day of the lecture or put them on the school's intranet for us to download and print. Therefore, buying a laptop was part of the required package.

My class hated the DVD (b/c it was really a piece of junk when we started, it's significantly better now), but I think the underclassmen below us are more accepting of it.
 
Do all schools use VitalBook? If they don't, do you use traditional textbooks?
 
UT San Antonio used to require macs, now we have the choice but our school is the mac-friendliest place I have ever seen! come join us
 
I decided to try to clean up this post a little. I updated it based on stuff I have heard from other people. If others could post or PM me with the computer requirements of their school, we could turn this thread into a "overall computer requirement at school" post and add it to the FAQ.

NYU-required PC purchase
UMDNJ-required PC purchase
Buffalo- required PC or Mac purchase
Nova-required PC purchase
UDM-required tablet pc purchase
Michigan-no requirement
Harvard-no requirement
Tufts-no requirement
Stony Brook-no requirement
Penn-no requirement
UT San Antonio-required PC or Mac purchase
 
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Can anyone who goes to Columbia, BU, Indiana, Case, and/or UNC tell what your computer requirement is.
 
At UNC they have a laptop picked out for you. It is an IBM Thinkpad T42. It is a nice computer. This year they implemented vitalbook here as well. My class hates it.
 
....i still don't understand why can't u just run virtual pc on your apple?

i thought the apple/pc compatibility issues were solved in the mid 1990s...
 
Houston requires a computer (desktop or laptop) to manage the lectures, documents, etc (mostly ppt) placed online and manage pt records/scheduling etc at home if needed. Either a pc or mac will suffice.
 
edkNARF said:
Can anyone who goes to Columbia, BU, Indiana, Case, and/or UNC tell what your computer requirement is.
Click to expand...

Indiana requires a pc notebook. All here are the same because they have support for the pc within the dental school 🙂
 
toothcaries said:
....i still don't understand why can't u just run virtual pc on your apple?

i thought the apple/pc compatibility issues were solved in the mid 1990s...
Click to expand...

I can't run virtual PC if the school makes me buy a PC instead of my beloved mac!
 
adamlc18 said:
At UNC they have a laptop picked out for you. It is an IBM Thinkpad T42. It is a nice computer. This year they implemented vitalbook here as well. My class hates it.
Click to expand...

This is because the patient records used are all electronic, and the programming for them was written in house with Windows-related software. (Though they created the software here, too.) Basically, you're told what to buy when you show-up. Even the fact that I had a laptop with 98 on it previously was insufficient.

That all said, it'd great in clinic once you get used to all the electronic charting, and for those of use who got started before that Vital-whatever junk infiltrated the market here.
 
For clarification, I am not sure if I was clear on this or not, but we (well at least I do) love our laptops, just hate the vitalbook thing. (especially the cost).
 
i wanted to clarify my earlier post, i have heard that udm requires a tablet pc purchased through them, but i don't think that is meant to be your primary computer. tablet pc would be in addition to a pc or mac of your choice. UDMers correct if i am wrong.
 
University of Colorado Requires you to purchase a Mac PowerBook, as well as the VitalSource software. This is the first year they're requiring this. The last couple of classes had to purchase PCs, but no VitalSource. Gee it's fun being a ginnea pig.
 
edkNARF said:
I can't run virtual PC if the school makes me buy a PC instead of my beloved mac!
Click to expand...


personally...
i'd make your admin folks aware that buying a pc would be a waste of money for you...


most are pretty resonable and understanding that students are not made of money..
🙄
 
san antonio has been doing the vital book thing since the entering class of 2000 - over the years I can say its gotten better but its really more for freshmen and soph. i havent used it more than 15 times in all of 3rd and 4th years. however, i do see the laptop requirement as important... all the electronic note sharing that goes on is way more valuable to me than the dvd. i have a mac g4 powerbook that is going on 4 years of use and abuse. lemme tell you this computer is pretty and was designed for looking slick at a coffeeshop or boardroom - NOT getting plaster stuck in it, wax dripped on it, being opened and shut 50 times a day, being wrapped in cellophane to avoid getting TB-laden calculus sludge sprayed on it suring a SCRP session, etc. dental school is tough on a computer! mine looks like hell now.
if i get into ortho school, im thinking about getting a dell or something (not because i dislike macs in any way! i will be very sad to give it up. i just dont want compatibility issues, and i know my school right now is unusually mac friendly compared to most). any suggestions?


toothcaries said:
personally...
i'd make your admin folks aware that buying a pc would be a waste of money for you...


most are pretty resonable and understanding that students are not made of money..
🙄
Click to expand...
 
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