Hi-Tech Lecture Halls...

[Doc Holliday]

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How does your school [or potential school!] stack up on the hi-tech scale? I've noticed that some facilities are really wired, including network connectivity in the lecture halls, along with a plethora of audio/visual equipment to beef up lecture presentations. Some schools require that you purchase/lease a laptop directly from them.

What kinds of advantages are these tools bringing to you or do you expect to give you? Aside from the obvious of course, which is posting to SDN in the middle of a biochem lecture.

Please share your experiences. Name the schools that are impressing you most and if you are a current student, give us the low-down! Thanks! dh

 

[Dr. Kermit]

I've only been to a couple of schools, but MCP-Hahnemann definitely integrated technology into their classroom and facilities. They were in a financial pit a couple years back and Drexel is now managing their University. Drexel University is known for their technology in Philadelphia. So, they made Hahnemann's campus have access to wireless internet everywhere, you could bring your laptop to the bathroom and still have a connection! Then, all of the classrooms were ready for videotaping and such. They also have a facility where the rooms are set up like clinics and they can observe and videotape you.

That was the only + I found at Hahnemann though...

 

[Derby]

Cornell had a VERY high tech lecture hall. As to what this does for the day to day education, I'm not sure. My school has an equally high tech lecture hall that most premed classes are in. I never once used the internet connection.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

The lecture hall in the Brain Institute at the University of Florida is pretty high tech. There is a port at each chair for one to plug in his/her laptop and supporting technology is pretty advanced. I've heard that all med school lectures are supposed to be moved to this building soon.

UF also has many rooms like the one's Dr. Kermit described...pseudo-clinics, where they hire actors to present pathology to you.

Sorry I don't know too much, though. I'm just an undergrad here. After seeing what UF has, though, I expect a lot from other universities. I hope I find some that can meet my expectations.

 

[Darwin]

Hey SwampMan...

Don't expect too much from other universities. If there's one thing that's left me unimpressed with all my interviews thus far is how in the world these schools can be charging 30K and many times more and still have absolutely crappy facilities. I've left quite a few schools, despite a possible great interview, feeling kind of down about the experience...I mean, if the school is not dedicated to it's students by using the tuition to provide the best possible facilities, then where else are they lacking?

 

[Original]

MY GOODNESS! I was absolutely blown away by Duke's Amphitheatre. This is where the lone year of lectures at Duke takes place. Internet connection at every seat. When you raise your hand to ask/answer a question, over 7 cameras zoom in on you, and microphones automatically activate to pick up your sound. Your image is simultaneously projected onto two REALLY big screens that flank the front of the room; while your sound is noiselessly amplified through surround speakers. All this hightech lecture action is caught on tape (by some guy they were all in love with) and available for pick up right after class. They also have lecture-transcripts ready. IT'S CRAZY!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Duke's gear sounds amazing. Transcripts ready to go after class? Wow.

Anyone else? I hear that Michigan and Maryland are good as well since they have newly renovated facilities. Any comments?

I'm thinking another cool thread would be best medical school websites. Has that been done before? Some schools have incredible amounts of resources available via the internet, not only for students, but prospective students as well. dh

 

[chef]

I was BLOWN AWAY by the new facilities at University of MD. The places where I could be spending 99% of my time in medical school were just built or were about to be finished (brand new). For example, the classrooms and medical school hallways were more like a modern 5 star hotel lobby, the library was fu##%ng AWESOMe (they said the largest and most modern on the east coast once it's comletely finished?), the resarch building I'm interested in was just done and equipment was coming in during my tour, and the teaching hospital was super modern.

Sorry for sounding like a PR guy from U.MD but I was deeply impressed. This place definitely has some serous state/federal $$$ support.

BTW, this money isn't just for the medical school - the new law school in the same area is just amazing

 

[DrBlueDevil]

MAN!!! I sure wish they'd give access to those kinds of resources to us lowly undergrads at Duke. Oh well...I guess $37k/year doesn't buy much these days.