Computer Programming Languages For Medical School and Beyond

[Doggo]

Just curious about what y'alls opinions are for what computer programming languages would be most useful for a future doc/ med student / clinical researcher?

I've heard python is the best for bio peeps but IDK.

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[eteshoe]

Learn R

 

[1337leet1337]

One of my buddies is currently a first year genetics PhD student, and most of the science PhDs (including him) are being required to learn the programming language R. So if you like programming and its applications in research, that might be something to look into. Python is also becoming pretty common in similar contexts - if you're familiar with Pymol for example, it is a python based program. In my opinion, both are relatively easy languages to learn and can be quite useful in data analysis.

 

[toddgurley]

R and python imo. MATLAB is useful but, unlike python, you have to pay for the license to use it so not a lot of researchers like that. At my school there's a MATLAB v Python division among the faculty.

 

[SSSMDt]

R and python imo. MATLAB is useful but, unlike python, you have to pay for the license to use it so not a lot of researchers like that. At my school there's a MATLAB v Python division among the faculty.

Go hawks

 

[toddgurley]

Go hawks

Want to watch our Week 2 highlights together?

 

[SSSMDt]

Want to watch our Week 2 highlights together?

Touche

 

[libertyyne]

I would reccomend R. Maybe python but that will be useless by the time you graduate. C#?

 

[spicynuggetfiend]

Computer programming languages and systems change faster than one can imagine. Predicting what will be useful in a few years is difficult.

Yeah okay sure. But learning basic principles of programming, or at least useful software, is incredibly helpful, especially since areas such as bioinformatics have exploded, where handling and analyzing massive (>10 GB) chunks of data is becoming the norm. You can't really get away with Excel anymore these days.

R and MATLAB aren't really true 'languages' like Python, but are very useful pieces of software. GNU Octave is a nice, free alternative to MATLAB if anyone was wondering.

 

[pioneer22]

Matlab R and Python are all good starts

 

[Lawpy]

On a more serious note, I second learning Python and R.

 

[spicynuggetfiend]

That is different than learning programming. Learning the basics of data mining, use of automated tools/software packages, etc, are much more important than actual "traditional" programming. The approach for analyzing data from a technical, statistical, and social standpoint is its own skill set. Most data analysis will be hitting warehouses in excess of 10 terabytes and understanding tools that allow you to intelligently mine that data, to gather it from multiple sources, to interrogate it on multiple factors, in a technically efficient way matters. Actually with power/speed of CPUs, Drives, Clouds, and the Net, being technically efficient really doesnt matter any more.

You're absolutely right. I just disagree with the last part, I feel having some basis in the theory of computer science would make the transition to managing clouds and clusters and terabytes of data easier... or at least less intimidating

 

[WedgeDawg]

R is phenomenal for stats work. Becoming fluent in it will be useful regardless of what type of research you do. If you want a true programming language, python is probably the most useful, but if I had to pick between learning only R or python, I would choose R.

 

[leonardoson]

Just curious about what y'alls opinions are for what computer programming languages would be most useful for a future doc/ med student / clinical researcher?

I've heard python is the best for bio peeps but IDK.

Learn Python, it won't be outdated

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Agree with all who said Python and R.

 

[libertyyne]

most doctor will be users of the cloud/data, not managing it.

Having a fundamental /basic understanding of programming will be even more important since you will have to talk to the data warehouse architects and the programmers that will write your queries. Understanding the limitations and the reason behind design decisions can be illuminating when tackling problems and requesting data.