Computer for med school: suggestions?

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Med01

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I need to buy a computer (laptop), but want one that will also be useful for med school.

I don’t need fancy and expensive stuff, but any advice on what features, programs (large memory and programs for viewing slides, downloading big files with pictures, Wi-Fi or not?) are helpful for med school is appreciated. Any suggestions on good computer brands/deals?

Thanks.
 
Med01 said:
I need to buy a computer (laptop), but want one that will also be useful for med school.

I don’t need fancy and expensive stuff, but any advice on what features, programs (large memory and programs for viewing slides, downloading big files with pictures, Wi-Fi or not?) are helpful for med school is appreciated. Any suggestions on good computer brands/deals?

Thanks.
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GET TEH MAC NOTEBOOK
 
just make sure its light, then you can take it everywhere
 
If you're a PC person, you can't go wrong with an IBM (technically Lenovo, I guess) Thinkpad. Their T-series laptops (I don't know what model number they're up to nowadays, but I think it's T43) are built exceptionally well, but are still plenty portable and should last you a while. If you're going to go shopping on your own, look for Centrino laptops--they have GREAT battery life and WiFi is built in.
 
For your uses, the most important thing would be to get a light/thin/small (your choice) laptop with good battery life per charge. The last thing you'd want is to carry a brick to school everyday that won't last through class. A Pentium M processor would be a good chip to get. I also like Dell's UXGA screens on their laptops; it's better for viewing large amounts of text at once.

Of course I do think that Apple's laptops are the sleekest. 😍
 
Mac's are cool looking but what about the compatability?....I am asking b/c I know that people in my program, who have mac's (damn those mac's look clean), have trouble converting information so that PC's can read and display it (for eg. when working on grp projects).
 
Med01 said:
I need to buy a computer (laptop), but want one that will also be useful for med school.

I don’t need fancy and expensive stuff, but any advice on what features, programs (large memory and programs for viewing slides, downloading big files with pictures, Wi-Fi or not?) are helpful for med school is appreciated. Any suggestions on good computer brands/deals?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Apple G4 Laptops are always a solid choice given the stability of OS X as opposed to Windows XP which has all sorts of virus/security issues. And as someone mentioned above, next year they are going to start making intel chips so compatability won't be as much of an issue.

However, Microsoft is making a comeback next fall with a new Windows that they've been working on for several years. Its codename is Longhorn (Google "microsoft longhorn" and you'll get a lot of info/pictures), but Microsoft stated that it will be called Microsoft Windows Vista. Look it up. It should fix a lot of Windows XP problems.

So basically, if you are matriculating next fall to med school I would wait till August so either the new mac chips will come out or Windows Vista releases.
 
chaldobruin said:
Apple G4 Laptops are always a solid choice given the stability of OS X as opposed to Windows XP which has all sorts of virus/security issues. And as someone mentioned above, next year they are going to start making intel chips so compatability won't be as much of an issue.

However, Microsoft is making a comeback next fall with a new Windows that they've been working on for several years. Its codename is Longhorn (Google "microsoft longhorn" and you'll get a lot of info/pictures), but Microsoft stated that it will be called Microsoft Windows Vista. Look it up. It should fix a lot of Windows XP problems.

So basically, if you are matriculating next fall to med school I would wait till August so either the new mac chips will come out or Windows Vista releases.
Click to expand...

"Next year"? -- Try next week!


Anyhow. I would recommend the Mac laptops. Compatability is definitely not an issue with Macs, at least not with the basic MS office software. I am going to buy a new laptop in the summer, and unless there is some specific reason not to (eg specialized medical software programs that require windows) I'm getting a Mac. If I really have to go PC, I'll get an IBM. I wouldn't touch Dell with a 10 foot pole after the last laptop I bought from them.
 
well, the mac laptops are both fancy and expensive, which you said you didn't want, but since you seem interested....

i have a powerbook G4. it's awesome. so easy to use. i had it for 2 years w/o antivirus (since it's kind of low risk and i didn't want to fork over 70 dollars). i finally got Norton for xmas and my boyfriend was like "i bet you'll have at least 4 viruses on there." i had none. my friend has the same laptop and one day, he was walking home, slipped, fell, and landed on it. the case is a little bent but the computer is still fine due to the metal case.

MS may be coming out with a new OS, but god knows there are major issues every time they put something out. our IT desk at work is freaking out about some HUGE security flaw just exposed in Windows2000. what it is? 2006? jeez.

compatibility also not an issue. apple is aware that they are the minority so they stick with the standard files that all PCs use. sometimes i move a MS office file from my Mac to a PC and the PC can't read it. it's because my Mac doesn't automatically stick a file extension on the file name (there is an option to do so) so you just add a ".doc" or whatever to the name and the PC can read it. maybe that is the compatibilty problem you referred to. that said, there are definitely some specialized programs that will not run on a Mac. i don't know how often you find them in the medical field. the only ones i can think of are all engineering related.
 
isobel said:
well, the mac laptops are both fancy and expensive, which you said you didn't want, but since you seem interested....

i have a powerbook G4. it's awesome. so easy to use. i had it for 2 years w/o antivirus (since it's kind of low risk and i didn't want to fork over 70 dollars). i finally got Norton for xmas and my boyfriend was like "i bet you'll have at least 4 viruses on there." i had none. my friend has the same laptop and one day, he was walking home, slipped, fell, and landed on it. the case is a little bent but the computer is still fine due to the metal case.
Click to expand...


Antivirus for a Mac is a waste of money.

Were you to get a Mac virus, you would quite literally be the first person to have one. There are no known viruses for Mac OS X at this time.
 
ND2005 said:
Antivirus for a Mac is a waste of money.

Were you to get a Mac virus, you would quite literally be the first person to have one. There are no known viruses for Mac OS X at this time.
Click to expand...

hence, i did not buy it meself . 😛
 
thanx for suggestions!
 
ND2005 said:
Antivirus for a Mac is a waste of money.

Were you to get a Mac virus, you would quite literally be the first person to have one. There are no known viruses for Mac OS X at this time.
Click to expand...

Heh. Yes.. Refridgerators for Eskimos.....

I actually got sold to macs because I work in an office (in finance) that uses them entirely. Compatability issues are just a thing of the past- you can get the entire MS office suite for mac, and it works seamlessly. So, yeah unless there is some kind of PC requirement for your school, I'll say the exact same thing as everyone else here. Get a mac.

***AND! Most imporantly- don't forget Apple's Educational discount. Your school should have it's own page on the apple site, and you can use your student ID at the apple stores. Every apple product has a discount if you are a student.***
 
I'm thinking of getting a tablet, but want to research why they are still so much in the minority...

I wish Apple would make a tablet notebook. That would be awesome!

The only med-school incompatibility I know of is Macs lose the ability to watch lectures at 2x speed at UofMich.
 
Some med schools require that all students have the same laptop. I'm pretty sure LSU-NO requires that every student get their laptop when they're buying books and everything. They have a deal worked out with Gateway to discount them.
 
i just bought myself a 12 inch powerbook (apple laptop with the metal case)...and i LOVE it! i too was planning to replace my old desktop PC from undergrad this summer, but then i found out i was slowly killing my iPod by using an old USB port to add songs to it (did anyone on earth realize there is the new USB 2.0 and old "i-will-secretly-kill-your-iPod" USB? news to me!). sooo i used that as an excuse to buy my new computer now 🙂 i'm soooo impulsive...

anyway i couldn't be happier! sure, i had to pay for the MS office suite, but with all the other cool random stuff that comes on the Mac, plus the fact that i'm never gonna get a virus, it's totally worth paying $100 extra for! and i'm not gonna lie, i'm totally taken by it's cuteness and not at all ashamed! 😀
 
I have a 12" Powerbook. My boyfriend switched with me (he took the 12" ibook). I wasn't a believer when he basically made me switch to a mac, but I can say that I am now a believer.

There are no compatibility problems. The only thing I feel I lack is when msn.com or cnn.com use windows media player to display some of their videos. I have wmv, but it's being stubborn, i guess. It's sleek, its quick, and I have had absolutely no problems.

If you're worried about price, you can go to apple's website and get a refurbished on (just get AppleCare). My ibook was refurbished, and it worked and looked perfect. Apple also has educational discounts that you can use by just inputting your college.

Can't go wrong with an Apple! Trust me!
 
Apple's new intel-powered Macs, to be released shortly (as early as 6 days from now) will most likely be able to boot both the Mac OS X, and Windows operating systems natively without any speed penalty, so you can use the mac side for all of your daily and work tasks, and still use any weird programs that will only run in windows when you have to! 😀
 
Pismo? With a name like that of course you're a mac *****. And with good cause. Their computers are built solid, are designed well, are supported well by their manufacturer, are stable, easy to look at (both in terms of OS design and laptop LCDs), and are sexy/metrosexual as all hell. Mail.app - the email program - is robust and easy to use, MS office is cheap (~$130 for the student edition, which is a full suite of software), iCal is really easy to use. And because it's built on a Unix core you can actually learn how to use Unix if you want.
I would totally get a powerbook/iBook when Apple switches to Intel chips for precisely the reasons pismo said.
Also, with a mac you can steal anything off the internet with impunity to viruses. My music collection has grown exponentially since I got my powerbook.
 
i have had a mac for the past 4-5 years (the original powerbook G4) and it has never given me any problems. . .that being said, it is pretty heavy by today's standards so i'll probably go to the 12 inch if you are thinking portability.

also, i think i will wait till i have decided on where i am going to med school . . some schools are really into online lectures/notes, and i can imagine with PBL and other group projects it would be nice to have a similar computer to my classmates.

good luck
 
I've used Macs throughout undergrad (my school is a liscenced user). I've had not many problems with Mac on a hardware basis, but the software sometimes is lacking. Especially, in the variety of programs. Mac laptops are cool and all, but dealing with software issues is a pain the ass. Especially, if you have relied on less than legal ways to get things. 😉 Eventhough it is out there, its seems you kind of have to go out of your way to get Mac compatible stuff. (ie. getting programs that use StuffIt expander instead of winzip.)

I would suggest a laptop from Dell. They have great reliability, tech support and a solid warranty. They have many types to buy which lends to some felixibility.
 
I love my tablet. Never going back to a normal laptop. I had never used one before I started med school last fall but I did the research and found it to be incredibly useful in my first semester.

I have a Fujitsu convertable and I love it; a number of other manufacturers make tablet models as well. For the most part they are marginally more expensive than a comparable laptop and IMO, well worth the bit of extra change. I think you can find new models starting at around $1000 (can't recall what make); refurbished for less if you want to travel down that road.

If you are interested in a tablet I'd recommend finding a store that carries a number of models and going and playing with them for a while. See if you like the feel, play around with the tablet programs (OneNote and Journal), etc.

If anyone has more specific questions I can go into more detail, currently running out the door.
 
Jon Davis said:
I would suggest a laptop from Dell. They have great reliability, tech support and a solid warranty.
Click to expand...




:laugh:

:laugh:

Well...you're right on 1 of 3 counts.
 
Pismo said:
Apple's new intel-powered Macs, to be released shortly (as early as 6 days from now) will most likely be able to boot both the Mac OS X, and Windows operating systems natively without any speed penalty, so you can use the mac side for all of your daily and work tasks, and still use any weird programs that will only run in windows when you have to! 😀
Click to expand...

the intel chips supposedly won't be in the notebooks until 2007...unless something drastic changes. it's supposed to be a slow rollout. we'll see what happens though...wouldn't be the first time apple pulled something out of the air at the last minute.
 
jbrice1639 said:
the intel chips supposedly won't be in the notebooks until 2007...unless something drastic changes. it's supposed to be a slow rollout. we'll see what happens though...wouldn't be the first time apple pulled something out of the air at the last minute.
Click to expand...


Intel iBook -- next week, not next year
 
ND2005 said:
Intel iBook -- next week, not next year
Click to expand...

sorry, i meant to say powerbook in my post, not notebook. sounded like most people on this thread were talking about powerbooks. also, this is an older article, but kind of interesting still:
http://www.macworld.com/2005/06/features/intelfaq/index.php

personally, i think sticking with a G4 powerbook at this stage in the process is a safer/smarter purchase than being the first owner of a new intel mac. but then again, i hate windows and all things pc, so i'm in no hurry to jump on that anyways :laugh:
 
i've had a dell inspiron for about 2.5 years and it's definitely really solid. i'm thinking of switching over to a 15" powerbook next summer though because they are so ridiculously awesome. i've heard the new ones will be lighter and thinner as well.
 
I suggest a laptop that's not capable of instant messaging, not capable of reading SDN, not capable of reading email and most importantly, not capable of playing little flash games like Squares.

You'll thank me later.

I think I got the most work done in school when I was kicked off the university's network when I shutdown my firewall for all of 10 seconds.

Edit: Be sure to not get one with a DVD player too
 
Med01 said:
I need to buy a computer (laptop), but want one that will also be useful for med school.

I don’t need fancy and expensive stuff, but any advice on what features, programs (large memory and programs for viewing slides, downloading big files with pictures, Wi-Fi or not?) are helpful for med school is appreciated. Any suggestions on good computer brands/deals?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Dell Inspiron m600 or Latitude D600.

Don't waste your time with Dell knock-offs or Macs.

Macs are great if you are an artist or a gamer, but Dells are better for doctors.
 
Handle said:
I love my tablet. Never going back to a normal laptop. I had never used one before I started med school last fall but I did the research and found it to be incredibly useful in my first semester.

I have a Fujitsu convertable and I love it; a number of other manufacturers make tablet models as well. For the most part they are marginally more expensive than a comparable laptop and IMO, well worth the bit of extra change. I think you can find new models starting at around $1000 (can't recall what make); refurbished for less if you want to travel down that road.

If you are interested in a tablet I'd recommend finding a store that carries a number of models and going and playing with them for a while. See if you like the feel, play around with the tablet programs (OneNote and Journal), etc.

If anyone has more specific questions I can go into more detail, currently running out the door.
Click to expand...

I've been looking into tablets for a while. They're coming down as far as prices go, but I'm still worried about their practicality/usefulness. Can it offer that much better of a an experience? I think I'm just getting drawn in because of how cool it looks.
 
GW doesn't require a laptop.....if i were to attend, should i still get one? or just bring my desktop, and go old school pen and paper? does anyone do this in med school anymore? what is the use of a laptop in med school past taking notes? (my last question is not meant as a statement meaning: seriously, they have no use but instead i really want to know 🙂 )
 
OSUdoc08 said:
Macs are great if you are an artist or a gamer, but Dells are better for doctors.
Click to expand...
Uhhh...why?

Though, I will say that this is the *only* time I've ever heard a person say that a Mac is great if you're a gamer. 🙂
 
Mac's one button mouse is TERRILBE for playing games. But then you won't have much time to play games (unless it's during break time) so who cares?
 
shinenjk said:
Mac's one button mouse is TERRILBE for playing games. But then you won't have much time to play games (unless it's during break time) so who cares?
Click to expand...

Yes, but how is Mac's 4 button mouse?

The one button has been gone for 6 months.
 
Yes, but how is Mac's 4 button mouse?
Click to expand...

But just the fact that Mac's mouse doesn't have left click/right click makes it really inconvenient to play games. ;0
 
Handle said:
If anyone has more specific questions I can go into more detail, currently running out the door.
Click to expand...

I'm really interested in a Tablet as well. I actually contacted the computer stores of the schools where I got accepted, and they have GREAT academic pricing on some models (IBM, HP), $200-300 off retail.

My question is - does the gimmick ever wear off? What exactly do you use the tablet functionality for -- taking notes on powerpoints? on pdfs? How do you incorporate it? I find that I type faster than I write, as well... which is weird.

and as for the gimmick thing... I had a pocket PC for a while, but I only used it for a month or two and then just stopped using it. I can see myself using a tablet quite a lot initially, but then being complacent and lazy about using it... but that's just my personality. I had a laptop in college, but after a few months, I just left it in my room...
 
My friend who's a grad stuent in CS just got a tablet from IBM and it's sexy. It's just great for taking notes and organizing them later for review. You won't have to deal with losing papers, etc. Windows XP also has "tablet tools" that you can download for free (if your comp didn't come with the tablet edition of windows) that lets you do some neat stuffs. Take a look into it, go give it a try at best buy or something.
 
Iwy Em Hotep said:
Uhhh...why?

Though, I will say that this is the *only* time I've ever heard a person say that a Mac is great if you're a gamer. 🙂
Click to expand...

I'm not a gamer...this is just what I've been told, so don't ask me.

I'm under the impression that Dell is the best for everything, but I just said that to keep the Mac lovers quiet.
 
I have had a Dell for 2.5 years, hasnt given me any problems. I'm sure Mac makes a good laptop, although I havent had any experience with them. However, I imagine there would be some limitations in software/3rd party apps outside of the overpriced Apple software.

And if you game, then Macs are not for you.
 
desiredusername said:
Pismo? With a name like that of course you're a mac *****. And with good cause.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's where "Pismo" comes from. My first mac laptop was codenamed Wallstreet, then I got Pismo, and for almost 5 years I've been heavily using my first-generation PowerBook G4 Titanium! Upgraded the RAM and hard drive and it's been holding up beautifully, going to class every day, traveling around the world, even with heavy web-surfing, email, and the occasional video/audio editing. Although, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ready to buy a new intel dual-core PowerBook.

Although I've never been forced to use Virtual PC to run windows slowly on my Macs, once Apple releases intel Macs running Mac OS X and Windows XP (and/or Longhorn/Long-wait in the distant future), all of the compatibility issues will be nil, and I can think of no reason why anyone wouldn't want the CHOICE offered by Macs.

Apple probably won't quite be able to compete with Dell on price alone, but the Apple computers are so reliable and the ability to run ANY major operating system is worth a small premium in my mind.
 
I don't understand why everyone loves Intel chips. AMD is kicking their butts.

For those who are considering laptops, read the trade magazines. It's a much better judge than the random experiences of people here, including mine.
 
C.P. Jones said:
GW doesn't require a laptop.....if i were to attend, should i still get one? or just bring my desktop, and go old school pen and paper? does anyone do this in med school anymore? what is the use of a laptop in med school past taking notes? (my last question is not meant as a statement meaning: seriously, they have no use but instead i really want to know 🙂 )
Click to expand...

I have the same question. I have a laptop, but in class I'm an old school paper notebook type girl. Will I be as dated as all the Hall and Oates I dont want everyone in my class to know is on my ipod?
 
bump. another old-school notetaker here. *raises hand*
 
chicagomel said:
bump. another old-school notetaker here. *raises hand*
Click to expand...

i just got a brand new laptop for christmas...i intend to use it outside of classes (i.e. between classes, as a study break, etc.) but i can't imagine actually pulling it out in a class to type notes...that seems difficult...especially in med school where diagrams and other hard-to-type things will come up nearly constantly.

probably the only essential thing to use a laptop for is to have internet access at school to supplement studying materials and to have Word/PowerPoint for reading/writing stuff.

As a side note, yes, the apple one button mouse is gone. they have their own mouse with right/left click, and have been compatible with other multi-button mice for years...so that's not really an issue. That said, i deactivate the right click feature on my new apple mouse because it seemed like more of a pain than a convenience. As a long-time apple user, I would still suggest most pre-meds buy a dell since i'll assume most of you are used to windows at this point, and there's no reason to add the stress of learning a new computer into the stress of adjusting for med school. If, however, you are truly interested in a mac, the whole software issue doesn't really exist anymore in my experience. Microsoft makes a full version of Office for the mac that is completely compatible with windows versions, and in addition, Apple makes softward called iWork that I find to be superior to Office anyways with the added bonus of being MUCH cheaper and still fully compatible with Office documents.
 
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